Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America

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Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America
Resist Front Cover Image.png
Author Rita Omokha
LanguageEnglish
Subject History, African American History, Trayvon Martin, Black Panther Party
GenreNonfiction
Publisher St. Martin's Press
Publication date
November 19, 2024
Publication placeUnited States
Pages352
ISBN 978-1-250-29098-4 (Hardcover)
Website us.macmillan.com/books/9781250290984/resist

Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America is a non-fiction book by journalism professor Rita Omokha that discusses the roots of activism by young Black people in America. [1]

Contents

Summary

Resist explores how young activists shaped the past hundred years of America's history and describes their contributions to social justice movements.

In an excerpt in Teen Vogue , Omokha said of the book

I trace a century of Black youth activism, from early organizers like Ella Baker in the 1920s to Barbara Johns and Charlie Cobb in the 1950s and 1960s, respectively, to the first glimpses of allyship in The Bates Seven and The Wilmington Ten, all the way to today's generation and the continued fight against police violence and racial injustice. Resist examines this longstanding tradition of student mobilization, a force with far-reaching consequences for this nation. It argues that youth activism is the lifeblood of American democracy, the very essence of the free and enduring nation we inherit today. [2]

Reception

Resist was included on book lists from Audible, [3] BookRiot, [4] The Next Big Idea Club, [5] Publishers Weekly , [6] and The Root. [7]

In a review of the "Best Books of November 2024", Glamour UK described Resist as a "paradigm-shifting book," stating that it "not only celebrates the courage and determination of these young leaders but also emphasises the importance of their voices in shaping the future." [8]

In a starred review from Booklist, A. E. Siraki describes Resist as "incredibly detailed and accessibly readable." Siraki discusses how "Omokha intersperses stories of individual race crimes with broader movements such as the formation of the NAACP, steadily guiding readers through each era. She helpfully bridges one time period with the next with the precision of a documentary filmmaker." [1]

In another starred review, BookPage called Resist "a must-read for anyone looking to dive into the collected history of Black youth activism and its immense impact on America—and perhaps learn how to take action themselves." [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 Siraki, A.E. (15 October 2024). "Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America". Booklist . Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  2. Omokha, Rita (9 May 2024). "The Anti-Apartheid Movement in the United States Was Fueled By Student Activists". Teen Vogue . Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  3. "Fall into the season's latest and greatest listens". Audible . 17 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  4. Winchester, Kendra (6 November 2024). "10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of November 2024". Book Riot . Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  5. Gianopoulos, Panio (18 September 2024). "The Next Big Idea Club's November 2024 Must-Read Books" . Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  6. Snitzky, Dana (14 June 2024). "Fall 2024 Adult Preview: History". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  7. Johnson, Angela (28 October 2024). "November 2024 Books By Black Authors We Can't Wait to Read". The Root . Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  8. Colman, Chaya (17 November 2024). "19 best new books of November 2024, according to literary experts". Glamour Magazine . Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  9. Berry, Natalia (13 November 2024). "Resist" . Retrieved 22 November 2024.