Charleston Syllabus, edited by Chad Williams, Kidada E. Williams, and Keisha N. Blain

When Dylann Roof murdered the Charleston nine at a Bible study in June 2015, his intent was “to start a race war.” He didn’t succeed, but his actions spurred ongoing conversations about the racial tensions and injustices that have accompanied white supremacy in our nation since its founding. This book contributes deeply to those conversations. A compendium of brief readings covering the history of race in America since slavery, the book followed directly from a Twitter campaign after the Charleston shootings, #charlestonsyllabus. It’s both a primer in black history and an incisive narrative of the way patterns become entrenched. Servitude, forgiveness, hatred, entitlement, violence, and grace enter into this complex conversation.