Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of AmericA

By Michael Harriot

It should come as no surprise that the dominant narrative of American history is blighted with errors and oversights—after all, history books were written with the perspective of white men at the forefront. It could even be said that the historical devaluation and elimination of the experiences of Black people is as American as apple pie. Or rioting after football games. Or calling the cops on Black Americans for walking around their own neighborhoods, or listening to music, or bird-watching, or any other normal everyday activity.

In Black AF History, Michael Harriot challenges this narrative, presenting more than thirty little-known stories about the experiences of Black Americans, from the Tulsa Race Massacre to the history of policing. With sharp, incisive wit, Harriot speaks hilarious truth to oppressive power, providing readers with a singular look at our shared history that is as comprehensive as it is utterly necessary.