How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice
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- Create Date：2021-01-10 04:13:06
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Jemar Tisby
- ISBN：9780310104773
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Reviews
James R
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Powerfully insightful book with lots of practical suggestions。 A great book to help you respond to the racial events of 2020。
Melissa Littlepage
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Maybe you’ve read lots of books about racism and its pervasive grip on society。 Perhaps you experience it daily and need no convincing about its presence and power。 But the question still remains for you — “what can I do？ What practical steps can I take to uproot and eliminate it — from my life， my community， and from our world？”New York Times Bestselling author Jemar Tisby sets out to answer those questions in this book。 As a historian， Tisby provided a deep and unflinching look at the American Maybe you’ve read lots of books about racism and its pervasive grip on society。 Perhaps you experience it daily and need no convincing about its presence and power。 But the question still remains for you — “what can I do？ What practical steps can I take to uproot and eliminate it — from my life， my community， and from our world？”New York Times Bestselling author Jemar Tisby sets out to answer those questions in this book。 As a historian， Tisby provided a deep and unflinching look at the American church’s complicity in racism in his first book The Color of Compromise。 In How to Fight Racism， he switches gears and moves into the role of seasoned practitioner。 A capable and unwavering guide， Tisby lays out a forthright and attainable path for putting convictions about racial justice into everyday practice。 The book is laid out in three sections， following Tisby’s model of the ARC of Racial Justice （1。 Awareness， 2。 Relationships， and 3。 Commitment）。 Each of these three sections have their own three “how-to’s。” From the intimate and personal to the societal and systemic， the how-to’s cover lots of ground and give readers a plurality of options for putting what they learn into practice。 My favorite things about this book were its clarity， its brevity， and its accessibility。 As a trainer and consultant on issues of culture， race， equity， and intercultural competence， I will be using this resource regularly。 If you are skeptical that racism is a deep and enduring problem， this book is not for you。 You’ll want to start elsewhere， possibly with The Color of Compromise。 But if you are convinced — if you do know that racism needs to be addressed comprehensively and urgently — and you are ready to do your part in that work， this book is for you。 。。。more
Brooke Hintz
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If you're looking for a book to help you meaningfully participate in the fight against racism， then this is the book for you。 Tisby walks readers through steps that help them mature as followers of Christ and participants in the fight for racial justice。 He grounds it all in God's love for his children and God's commandments that we love God and neighbor。 As Tisby has said， "This is the modern day civil rights movement。" Prepare yourself by reading this book and join the movement！ If you're looking for a book to help you meaningfully participate in the fight against racism， then this is the book for you。 Tisby walks readers through steps that help them mature as followers of Christ and participants in the fight for racial justice。 He grounds it all in God's love for his children and God's commandments that we love God and neighbor。 As Tisby has said， "This is the modern day civil rights movement。" Prepare yourself by reading this book and join the movement！ 。。。more
Amy DeLuca
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In the practical and poignant follow up to the crucial work in “Color of Compromise，” Jemar Tisby unpacks timely steps in “How to Fight Racism。” It is commendable that the action plan laid out for readers is a reflection of Tisby’s own journey: from in-depth biblical study， scouring for truth in God’s Word about race， to seeking professional help to process racial identity， to vetting primary and multiple historical sources， to boldly challenging systemic racism in workplaces and churches。 Tisby In the practical and poignant follow up to the crucial work in “Color of Compromise，” Jemar Tisby unpacks timely steps in “How to Fight Racism。” It is commendable that the action plan laid out for readers is a reflection of Tisby’s own journey: from in-depth biblical study， scouring for truth in God’s Word about race， to seeking professional help to process racial identity， to vetting primary and multiple historical sources， to boldly challenging systemic racism in workplaces and churches。 Tisby does not propose lofty goals that he himself has not set out to achieve， rather， he lays the framework in the book through the ARC （awareness， relationships， commitment） of racial justice to dismantle racism from the top down and from the bottom up。 Though Tisby wonderfully lays out the rationale for racial justice through the Christian lens， even nonbelievers will benefit from reading this practical guide。 The overall tone of the piece is loving yet truthful， graceful but bold， honest and enlightening。 My hope and prayer is that readers come away with real ideas for their current situations and communities and are inspired to be beacons of hope and love as they pursue racial justice。 。。。more
Corrie Haffly
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How to Fight Racism has just released， and once again， Jemar Tisby does not disappoint！ This incredibly helpful book gives background， history， and data on pretty much every facet of racism you can think of， provides a Biblical foundation and explanation for why these issues matter and what the Biblical witness has to say about it， then provides extremely practical， specific， and attainable action steps and examples for churches and individuals to take。 Organized under his ARC framework of Aware How to Fight Racism has just released， and once again， Jemar Tisby does not disappoint！ This incredibly helpful book gives background， history， and data on pretty much every facet of racism you can think of， provides a Biblical foundation and explanation for why these issues matter and what the Biblical witness has to say about it， then provides extremely practical， specific， and attainable action steps and examples for churches and individuals to take。 Organized under his ARC framework of Awareness， Relationships， and Commitment， I can already see myself taking some specific action items this weekend and suggesting some ideas to our church over the next weeks。 I think he also does an excellent job of addressing some of the ideas that seem to trip up white evangelicals， including corporate sin vs individualism， critical race theory， and individual responsibility vs systemic racism。 And yes， I skimmed the notes as well， to pay attention to the many references and authors that he draws from。 Add this to your list if you love Jesus and want to stay in the fight against racism！ 。。。more
Abigale
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I received this as an advanced copy and was a little unsure of how I would feel about the book since it is a Christian book and I normally don’t read books in this genre in my work。 Recently I have gotten many questions about Equity Work and religion。 This book helped to fill that gap and is a resource I would definitely recommend for anyone looking to work their Christian journey。 This book was a quick， comprehensive， interesting， and helpful book。 I really liked the format of the book。 Tisby’s I received this as an advanced copy and was a little unsure of how I would feel about the book since it is a Christian book and I normally don’t read books in this genre in my work。 Recently I have gotten many questions about Equity Work and religion。 This book helped to fill that gap and is a resource I would definitely recommend for anyone looking to work their Christian journey。 This book was a quick， comprehensive， interesting， and helpful book。 I really liked the format of the book。 Tisby’s A。R。C idea and breakdown of chapters made it easy to follow。 I appreciated that he addresses so much of our current political and social climate as well as bringing in relevant pieces of history。 I spend a lot of time reading， exploring my cultural identity while pushing myself and found this book help to re center me and give concrete steps I can take to continue on my journey。 I am looking forward to take notes and using this book in my equity work！ I will be buying a physical copy and rereading since I was able to listen to the audiobook。 。。。more
Taija
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Jemar Tisby’s book "How To Fight Racism" is a welcomed guide for Christians and non-Christians alike in a time when many pastors are still electing silence and “preach the Gospel” rhetoric over public condemnation of racism as evil sin。Drawing from his own experiences with racial justice and the church， Tisby understands where his readers are and what they might be faced with。 Tisby give clear directives for fighting racial injustice without inciting violence and anger。 And all the while， making Jemar Tisby’s book "How To Fight Racism" is a welcomed guide for Christians and non-Christians alike in a time when many pastors are still electing silence and “preach the Gospel” rhetoric over public condemnation of racism as evil sin。Drawing from his own experiences with racial justice and the church， Tisby understands where his readers are and what they might be faced with。 Tisby give clear directives for fighting racial injustice without inciting violence and anger。 And all the while， making space for the inevitable anger you will feel when faced with racism， especially Blacks and other people of color。 Tisby not only addresses the white Christian， but also Black people， people of color， and non-Christians throughout the book。 He lays out practical plans for people and organizations at every level and gives advice on how individuals can take the fight to each level。 "How to Fight Racism" bridges the gap between Christians and non-Christians and allows them to work side-by-side to fight a common enemy: racism。 。。。more
Matt Adair
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Historically rich and practically helpful， “How To Fight Racism” ends with the invitation and encouragement to remember that “fighting racism is not just about how it changes the world; it’s also about how it changes you。”
Jeremy
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Good primer。 Need more specific books that tackle how to do so from different cultural backgrounds。
Keith Winder
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Whether you agree with all of the recommendations or not， this is a solid， practical follow-up to The Color of Compromise。
Justin
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In this follow up to his 2019 "The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism，" Jemar Tisby lays out a path for moving from learning about the history of racism to fighting against it。 In three parts， Tisby moves the reader from explaining how you can raise your （A） awareness about racism in your community， to building （R） relationships through reconciliation in your community， and finally to working out what it means to be （C） committed to fighting racism。 T In this follow up to his 2019 "The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism，" Jemar Tisby lays out a path for moving from learning about the history of racism to fighting against it。 In three parts， Tisby moves the reader from explaining how you can raise your （A） awareness about racism in your community， to building （R） relationships through reconciliation in your community， and finally to working out what it means to be （C） committed to fighting racism。 This book is a helpful， and much needed， follow up to his 2019 historical analysis。 By framing his argument around The ARC of Racial Justice， he helps the reader see how they need to continually be working in each of the three areas （rather than just assuming they are an expert in one and that is good enough）。 By combining historical examples with real world challenges， Tisby encourages individuals AND communities of Christians to begin doing the work of fighting racial justice together。 Tisby understands the limitations， but does not hesitate to push against them in a way that is necessary to break the logjam that so often inhibits the hard work of racial justice。 By laying out concrete actions that both individuals and communities can take， Tisby moves beyond the theoretical and gives the reader things the begin working on from the first chapter。 This book is highly accessible and I would recommend that it be used both for individual action， but also for church leaders， small groups， and other organizations that want to fight for racial justice to work through together and begin asking the hard questions about what they should begin doing today to start down the road of racial justice and continue moving down that road。The audiobook was well done， read by the author， and a worthy companion to the printed book。 Pick up both。（Note: I received an advance copy of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review） 。。。more
Stefanie Kellum
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*I'm currently reading a digital ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss。 *I'm currently reading a digital ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss。 。。。more
Jennifer Wilson
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If you care about racial justice but have wondered “what can I do？” or if others keep asking you what they can do and you want to point them in the right direction， this is the book。 Jemar Tisby offers many practical suggestions for ways to combat racial inequities by following his 3-pronged ARC of racial justice: Awareness， Relationships， and Commitment。 With an attitude of determination and hope， Tisby encourages his readers to do something even when it’s hard， and to never stop fighting racis If you care about racial justice but have wondered “what can I do？” or if others keep asking you what they can do and you want to point them in the right direction， this is the book。 Jemar Tisby offers many practical suggestions for ways to combat racial inequities by following his 3-pronged ARC of racial justice: Awareness， Relationships， and Commitment。 With an attitude of determination and hope， Tisby encourages his readers to do something even when it’s hard， and to never stop fighting racism。 。。。more
David Atk
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Love it！ If you need a specific， real and hopeful book on how to fight racism， whether you are white or a person of color， this is it！It's focused on the church but principles from it can apply elsewhere。 Love it！ If you need a specific， real and hopeful book on how to fight racism， whether you are white or a person of color， this is it！It's focused on the church but principles from it can apply elsewhere。 。。。more
Jamie Hughes
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Fantastic book filled with encouragement and practical steps anyone can take to combat racism and racial inequality。 Full review forthcoming in the Englewood Review of Books。
Jenny Kindelin
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This was a fitting follow-up from Tisby’s first book The Color of Compromise。 Whereas his first book was largely historical in nature， this book is extremely practical， full of helpful paradigm shifting ideas and applications。 Whether you are reading for yourself， or on behalf of an organization， business or church， you will walk away challenged but ready to do your part in the fight for racial justice。
Dani
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Jemar Tisby is always such a strong voice of wisdom， knowledge， and Christ’s love。 Every time I have read some of his written words in an op-ed or blog post or listened to him speaking on his podcasts “Pass The Mic” or “Footnotes”， I have walked away with new awareness， heart changing convictions and renewed hope。His first book “The Color of Compromise” was all about learning REAL history and unlearning FALSE narratives…this book is a great follow up and deals with the question that usually foll Jemar Tisby is always such a strong voice of wisdom， knowledge， and Christ’s love。 Every time I have read some of his written words in an op-ed or blog post or listened to him speaking on his podcasts “Pass The Mic” or “Footnotes”， I have walked away with new awareness， heart changing convictions and renewed hope。His first book “The Color of Compromise” was all about learning REAL history and unlearning FALSE narratives…this book is a great follow up and deals with the question that usually follows when one has a racial awakening:“Now that I am aware of the truth， what do I DO？” To my siblings in Christ who want to know how to put your faith into action against racial injustice， this book is a vital resource。 HOWEVER…。。while this book is faith based and driven by Christian teachings， I do not think it is ONLY for Christ followers。 If you have a heart to work for racial justice， there is something that EVERYONE can learn within these pages， no matter where your spiritual leanings are。Jemar not only provides important factual information and spiritual wisdom in this book， he also dives into what he calls the ARC of Racial Justice as the answer to the question “What do we DO？” I think understanding this is ESPECIALLY important for my white brothers and sisters as we move away from being silent bystanders who further white supremacy and racial injustices and move towards being accomplices alongside our brothers and sisters of color in the fight against it。 So many times we want to skip certain things or think we have “arrived” in some permanent category of “wokeness”。 Jemar makes the reader understand that the journey in racial understanding is NOT linear and it NEVER ends。The way the author has formatted the book in such a practical and easy to follow way is helpful for all readers as they grapple with the frustration of not knowing exactly what is next in their journey of fighting racism。The book is divided into three parts that line up with the three concepts of the ARC of racial justice: Awareness， Relationships and Commitment。 Each chapter has these components: Essential Understandings-- which gives you factual information， real life examples， and scriptural truths—and Racial Justice Practices---which are actions you can take individually in your own life and also actions your church/workplace/organization/family can do collectively。 This is not a “read it and be done with it” type of book。 This book requires intentional listening， a posture of humility， and hard work。 This book requires deconstructing and processing…。and the words you read should ignite your spirit into real life ACTION。We are living in the second Civil Rights movement RIGHT NOW…。 and Jemar’s witness， work and wisdom is an integral part of calling people to action for necessary and desperately needed change…especially among Christ followers。 。。。more
Mike Sanders
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"Love for neighbor requires critiquing and dismantling unjust systems of racial oppression。 It is one matter to acknowledge that all people are made equal and have inherent dignity in their very being。 It is another matter to identify the ways the image of God is defaced in groups of people through systems and policies and to work against those injustices。"How to Fight Racism is somewhat of a continuation of Jemar Tisby's first book， The Color of Compromise。 While The Color of Compromise gives a "Love for neighbor requires critiquing and dismantling unjust systems of racial oppression。 It is one matter to acknowledge that all people are made equal and have inherent dignity in their very being。 It is another matter to identify the ways the image of God is defaced in groups of people through systems and policies and to work against those injustices。"How to Fight Racism is somewhat of a continuation of Jemar Tisby's first book， The Color of Compromise。 While The Color of Compromise gives a historical survey of the ways in which the American Church at large has been complicit in the face of racism， How to Fight Racism takes that knowledge of history and looks to have a conversation with the present on how we can combat the affects racism has had on our nation and imagine a world where racism doesn't hold as much weight。 Packed full of practical steps that individuals， churches and organizations can take on the journey of fighting racism， Jemar gives us a book that is ready to be put in action。 The overall framework of the A。R。C。 of Racial Justice gives a helpful grid to filter through different aspects of fighting for racial justice。 Additionally， each chapter is organized in a way that gives us the background of different issues in "Essential Understandings" and then dives into practical application in "Racial Justice Practices。" This gives the book the opportunity to be easily referenced time and time again in different seasons of life。 While Jemar's perspective for this book is from a Christian worldview （seen most frequently in references to the doctrine of the Image of God）， both Christians and non-Christians alike will find the practices given in the book super helpful。 And for those Christians who want to recommend this book to their friends outside of the faith， it can be used as an evangelistic tool that shows that the Jesus of the Bible and His followers are committed to opposing the evil practices of this world， and seek the well-being of those on the margins。 You don't need to be a pastor or leader to understand this book， and I would highly recommend this to anyone who understands the reality that America is still dealing with it's heritage of racial discrimination， and wants to do something about it。 。。。more
Esh
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The work continues。 Jemar Tisby's follow up to The Color of Compromise is timely and needed。 It is for anyone on the journey of pursuing racial justice in our country with a foundation of the Christian faith。 Whether you have been on this path for awhile or you have recently started， you can benefit from this book。 I am grateful for the way Tisby inspires hope， encourages the downtrodden and weary， shoots straight with the truth， outlines tangible ways to seek racial justice （both individually a The work continues。 Jemar Tisby's follow up to The Color of Compromise is timely and needed。 It is for anyone on the journey of pursuing racial justice in our country with a foundation of the Christian faith。 Whether you have been on this path for awhile or you have recently started， you can benefit from this book。 I am grateful for the way Tisby inspires hope， encourages the downtrodden and weary， shoots straight with the truth， outlines tangible ways to seek racial justice （both individually and as an organization）， and consistently keeps pointing the reader to Jesus。 He provides opportunities for us all to engage in the work where we are， not out of guilt or shame， but because it is right and it is what we are called to do as followers of Christ。 。。。more
Briayna Cuffie
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*Disclaimer* I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley， in exchange for a fair/unbiased review。—————Tisby strikes the right tone with this。 I have a much more。。。stern demeanor when discussing racial equity; this does not work for all demographics — some require more coaxing。 Given the extensive and explicit infliction of harm and complicity of Christianity against BIPOC worldwide， it will take time。 There are some topics and specific aspects that I assumed he *Disclaimer* I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley， in exchange for a fair/unbiased review。—————Tisby strikes the right tone with this。 I have a much more。。。stern demeanor when discussing racial equity; this does not work for all demographics — some require more coaxing。 Given the extensive and explicit infliction of harm and complicity of Christianity against BIPOC worldwide， it will take time。 There are some topics and specific aspects that I assumed he might avoid; but he addresses them， and in a way that will definitely make some squirm in discomfort in their pew。 Though this is written with Christians in mind， it isn’t satiated with the citation of verses （which， as an ex-Christian， I appreciate） – there’s just enough。 Readers may not finish this book feeling like they have a step-by-step guide， but they WILL finish it with plenty of food （questions） for thought that can be analyzed again and again （individually and at the institution/small community level）， action items that can easily be brought into their daily lives， and some that will take more resolve。 。。。more
Michael Mior
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Y'all should get yourself a copy of this book。 I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy over the past few weeks。 （It's not a long book， I just went through it slowly）。 In light of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery， Breonna Taylor， George Floyd， and others over the past year， many of you might be wondering what to do about racism。 （Sadly such incidents are nothing new， but seem to have received more attention in the media than usual over the past year。）In this book， Jemar Tisby does a fantastic Y'all should get yourself a copy of this book。 I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy over the past few weeks。 （It's not a long book， I just went through it slowly）。 In light of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery， Breonna Taylor， George Floyd， and others over the past year， many of you might be wondering what to do about racism。 （Sadly such incidents are nothing new， but seem to have received more attention in the media than usual over the past year。）In this book， Jemar Tisby does a fantastic job of providing practical steps to combat racism。 The title of the book starts with "how to" and it really is a how to guide。 This isn't to say that you should expect it to answer all of your questions， but I think it's a great starting point and gives a number of solid suggestions on things the average person is actually capable of doing that will collectively have an impact。 Each chapter includes loads of references for further reading。Things are addressed from a Christian perspective， but I think even people of other faiths or atheists and agnostics have something useful to gain here。 For those who didn't enjoy his first book， The Color of Compromise， I think you'll find this to be something different entirely。 While I enjoyed both titles， I think even those who took issue with the first will appreciate this second offering。 。。。more
Andy McCormick
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“Fighting racism does not consist of a set of isolated actions that we take， rather the actions must flow from an entire disposition that is oriented towards racial justice。”In Jemar Tisby’s new book， How to Fight Racism， we get a practical guide for a lifestyle approach to anti-racism。 He utilizes the nemonic， ARC （awareness， relationship， commitment） to create a framework for social justice。 He then practically walks through each section of this framework with practical examples and suggestion “Fighting racism does not consist of a set of isolated actions that we take， rather the actions must flow from an entire disposition that is oriented towards racial justice。”In Jemar Tisby’s new book， How to Fight Racism， we get a practical guide for a lifestyle approach to anti-racism。 He utilizes the nemonic， ARC （awareness， relationship， commitment） to create a framework for social justice。 He then practically walks through each section of this framework with practical examples and suggestions for individuals and communities to live out this process。 His book is revolutionary in its approachability and practicality。 I challenge us all to read this book and reflect upon what it truly means “to act justly， love mercy and walk humbly before your God。”“Racial justice is a lifestyle， not an agenda item” 。。。more
Fran Parsons
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I read Color of Compromise in March of 2020。 It was one of the most convicting books I have ever read as a white female。 I have been desperately looking for a follow up to that book with ways to practically Fight Racism。 Thank you Jemar Tisby！ This book was exactly what I needed。 So many practical ideas。 I highly recommend this book！
Gordon
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This book is by far one of the top resources when it comes to understanding and taking action toward dismantling racism。 It is history， psychology， theology， community organizing and so much more all rolled into one。 This book is for anyone that is curious about how to approach racism from a Christian framework， but wants to do is in a way that is not influenced by a particular political ideology。 This book is by far a highlight of 2021 and beyond。
Adam Shields
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Summary: A practical， focused guide to opposing racism through the ARC model （awareness， relationships， commitment）。 Jemar Tisby has long been fighting against racism。 He has an NYT bestselling history survey， The Color of Compromise。 He is the co-founder of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective。 He is in the final stages of his Ph。D。 in history， focusing on 20th-century racial history。 And he co-hosts the Pass The Mic podcast。 This is a very different book from Color of Compromise。 Col Summary: A practical， focused guide to opposing racism through the ARC model （awareness， relationships， commitment）。 Jemar Tisby has long been fighting against racism。 He has an NYT bestselling history survey， The Color of Compromise。 He is the co-founder of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective。 He is in the final stages of his Ph。D。 in history， focusing on 20th-century racial history。 And he co-hosts the Pass The Mic podcast。 This is a very different book from Color of Compromise。 Color of Compromise is a survey of the American church's racial history， especially its compromise concerning accepting racism in exchange for cultural power。 Tisby says clearly in the introduction that How to Fight Racism responds to the standard question that he frequently gets， especially from White Christians， after presenting the problems of racism。 How to Fight Racism is a book-length response to 'what can I do。' The broad structure of the book is ARC （see link for a graphic detailing the concept）。 ARC is not linear， but a broad strategy that will look different from person to person and community to community。 But generally， healthy response to racism will include some mix of ongoing awareness， relationship building， and a long-term commitment to systemic change。 This may sound theoretical， but it is very practically focused。 There are many stories to illustrate the suggestions。 And while you certainly do not need to be a Christian to get value out of the book， it is a Christian book that is rooting the reasoning and methods of fighting racism in a Christian background。 How to Fight racism will be the most helpful read in a group。 Because many aspects of racism are cultural， organizational， or legal， there are limits to individual actions。 There are study guides for group discussion available。 And I think that if you can read this in a group， especially a group within a church or organization， it can be a good jumping-off point toward organizational change that is systemic。 Many other similar pieces （often article length） are oriented toward individuals。 I did see one review that said there was not much new or unique here。 In some ways， I agree。 Similar to how there is not much about prayer or bible reading or discipleship that is really new or unique， but we still need new books to teach and communicate to new contexts。 We do still need books to talk about how to oppose racism and take different approaches。 How to Fight Racism is not also not trying to prove that racism exists。 That is a different book。 This book centered around practical， constructive opposition to racism， especially the type of work that Christians should do。 And I hope it is a book that will be widely read and widely put into practice。 。。。more
Paul C
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How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby is a powerful resource that is made for equipping its readers。 Equipping for thought， equipping for understanding， equipping for a conversation， equipping for action。 Mr。 Tisby takes on the task of informing and empowering readers to take on the topic of—and the systems that support—racism and does so with care and skill。 The content within this release amazingly provides aid to those at the starting line， walking in， or running in the race against racism。 Addi How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby is a powerful resource that is made for equipping its readers。 Equipping for thought， equipping for understanding， equipping for a conversation， equipping for action。 Mr。 Tisby takes on the task of informing and empowering readers to take on the topic of—and the systems that support—racism and does so with care and skill。 The content within this release amazingly provides aid to those at the starting line， walking in， or running in the race against racism。 Additionally， the content provided by the author supports those of the Body of Christ and those in the marketplace。 Lastly， the author articulates the message of How to Fight Racism so well that those weary from the fight and/or from the past scars of racism can say “read this” when they are subject to an inquiry。 The timely resource provide by Jemar Tisby provides a respite， a healing balm， and a place for growth to readers。 。。。more
Robin
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When I requested this audiobook from NetGalley， I didn't read the subtitle before requesting it。 When I started listening to it and heard that it was focused on Christian responses to racism， I cringed。 While I am a Christian， I am also a transracial adoptive parent raising Black children and have seen more than my fair share of very unchristian and racist "Christians"。 I also don't like being preached to。 I was pleasantly surprised， however， because while there is definitely some church-centere When I requested this audiobook from NetGalley， I didn't read the subtitle before requesting it。 When I started listening to it and heard that it was focused on Christian responses to racism， I cringed。 While I am a Christian， I am also a transracial adoptive parent raising Black children and have seen more than my fair share of very unchristian and racist "Christians"。 I also don't like being preached to。 I was pleasantly surprised， however， because while there is definitely some church-centered components， the majority of the text applies to people of all faiths， and even to agnostics and atheists。 So much of Tisby's advice is just plain 'ol how-to-be-a-good-antiracist-human。 His ideas were practical and very attainable for most people。 。。。more
Tevin Jenkins
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This book is must read for anybody wanting to help fight racism in the world that we live in。 It not just a book a manual that help us take many many steps
Josh Olds
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How to Fight Racism should be required study for the white evangelical church。 Jemar Tisby writes with razor-sharp clarity and precision， defining each and every one of his terms in exacting manner。 Tisby doesn’t just made it plain that racism is still a driving factor in society—a skill in and of itself when white evangelical society thinks of itself as post-racial—but provides a thorough， practical blueprint for the church to move forward in the fight against racism in our institutions， commun How to Fight Racism should be required study for the white evangelical church。 Jemar Tisby writes with razor-sharp clarity and precision， defining each and every one of his terms in exacting manner。 Tisby doesn’t just made it plain that racism is still a driving factor in society—a skill in and of itself when white evangelical society thinks of itself as post-racial—but provides a thorough， practical blueprint for the church to move forward in the fight against racism in our institutions， communities， and lives。As I read through How to Fight Racism， I tried to look at it from the perspective of someone who holds to this sort of post-racial world: someone who responds to #BlackLivesMatter with #AllLivesMatter， or someone who doesn’t believe in systemic racism。 I tried to see what statements I would pick it， what word choices I’d be offended by， or what storylines I’d refute。 And， in truth， I couldn’t find any。 Tisby’s arguments are self-evident and airtight。 You can argue against them， but not effectively。 You can disagree with him， but not substantially。 By shying away from language that some find inflammatory， by carefully defining his terms， and by being clear， firm， and practical， Tisby forces the reluctant reader to least consider a different perspective。The cynic in me still wonders what effect How to Fight Racism will have on this audience。 History has shown that careful arguments and substantive evidence can all too often be overwhelmed by the systemically racist structures it calls out。 However， those people are Tisby’s secondary audience， and we should laud the fact that he even attempts to write in a manner accessible to them。 His primary audience are the increasing number of people who—particularly through the events of 2020—have jumped into the arena of racial justice and are ready to fight。Tisby doesn’t say it outright， but these folks need to be educated。 Particularly young white evangelicals who are breaking from their denominations and their elders on this issue （and hi， I’m one of them）。 We’re young， white， and ready to fight—and that’s not always the best。 Tisby leads readers through a calm， yet forceful response to racism， utilizing the ARC framework of awareness， relationships， and commitment。How to Fight Racism covers each of these points in three-chapter sections。 Awareness is step one: becoming aware of racism， exploring one’s own racial identity， and understanding the history of race。 This helps the reader orient themselves to racial ideas beginning with the intimate and personal before moving to the systemic and communal。 Tisby begins with an explanation of race as it factors into the humankind’s creation in the image of God。 Often， the imago Dei is used to downplay the idea of race （and therefore racism） because all humans are created in God’s image。 Tisby flips the script， asking if that is the case， why have some humans been treated in ways that would profane that image？ Tisby also talks about race as a social construct。 Because race is a social construct， it is one that we—the society—have the power to change。 Understanding the history of race， both one’s own personal history and American history， helps readers contextualize the need to fight against racism and one’s own personal place within that fight。After awareness comes relationships。 This is where many young white Christian find themselves。 They’ve been made aware of the issues， but they don’t know where to go and they don’t know what to do。 To speak from my own experience， my change from being neutral on racial issues to active involvement came through the development of relationships。 I grew up in a rural town that was almost universally white。 Only after seminary， when I took a position at a primarily Asian church set within a primarily Hispanic and Black community that I begin finding myself challenged to action through the creation of relationship。 I was out of the fight before because I wasn’t connected to it。 Getting into the fight wasn’t， for me， as much a change of intellectual position as it was simply gaining these connections， becoming educated， and experiencing even by proxy， the life of a person of color。The final part is commitment。 It’s something we’ve seen a lack of again and again。 There will be some egregious incident， there are protests and calls for justice， then a week or so later the media narrative has moved onward。 It’s social justice by social media， where calls for justice are often superficial and simply moving along with the bandwagon of wokeness。 No real change ever—or rarely happens。 At least， no real change happens like that。 Tisby walks readers through a blueprint for real， substantive lasting change that will only come through real， substantive work。Point by point， area by area， How to Fight Racism spells out exactly how to work for racial justice and expose and stand up against racist systems。 Tisby is thorough， providing clear and practical advice。 It’s not easy advice， understand， because it’s about changing systems not just minds。 It’s about practical change， not just intellectual assent。 It’s about becoming a person for whom justice and reconciliation are integral parts of life。 Tisby doesn’t call readers to all of this points。 Some individuals are made for some spaces， other individuals for others。 But neither does Tisby leave something out simply because it’s hard or because it won’t be relevant to most of his readers。 He talks about how to run for political office， how to organize voter drives， how to protest， and the list goes on。 Find one or two and pursue that。 This section can be the building block for sustained， substantive activism。Tisby ultimately concludes: Fighting racism is not just about how it changes the world; it’s also about how it changes you。 We began with a personal exploration of racial identity and an awareness of racial and racist systems。 We moved through awareness to relationship and reconciliation， which happens in one-on-one friendships and through small groups， churches， and communities。 We ended with a commitment to take on the system， expanding our reach even more into our governments and institutions。 But， in the end， Tisby leads us back to ourselves and how the journey toward racial justice changes us， makes us more Christlike， and calls us to be a part of that Kingdom that is coming and is even now here。How to Fight Racism has the ability to save the soul of white evangelical Christianity。 Jemar Tisby is our Ezekiel or our Amos， warning us of the vapid hollowness of our religious systems if we do not take up this banner of justice and let justice roll like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream。 With precision， passion， and grace， Tisby calls the church to repentance。 We ignore him at our eternal peril。 。。。more
Kara
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I received an advanced copy of this book in order to review it。 I read The Color of Compromise this summer （2020） and have listened to Jemar Tisby's podcasts through the Witness since then as well。 I appreciate Jemar's work so much， have learned a ton， and I highly recommend all of it。 I am white， and I think white Christians specifically should read this book， and especially if you are someone who has asked， "But what should we DO about racism？" Figuring out the answer to that question should N I received an advanced copy of this book in order to review it。 I read The Color of Compromise this summer （2020） and have listened to Jemar Tisby's podcasts through the Witness since then as well。 I appreciate Jemar's work so much， have learned a ton， and I highly recommend all of it。 I am white， and I think white Christians specifically should read this book， and especially if you are someone who has asked， "But what should we DO about racism？" Figuring out the answer to that question should NOT be the burden of Black people and other people of color， yet Jemar has nevertheless given the world the gift of this book with several possible answers to that question。A few strengths of How to Fight Racism that I personally most appreciated are: 1。 The ARC framework。 （Awareness， Relationships， Commitment）。 Categorizing different types of actions to fight racism is helpful because it allows me to recognize the things I am doing and encourages me that there is always more that I can do - in all 3 categories。2。 Chapter 10 about orienting your life to racial justice。 While much of the book could feel almost like a checklist of tasks one can "complete，" chapter 10 makes it explicit that one needs to have a mindset， ongoing commitment， and heart change/growth in order to really sustain this work。 3。 References throughout the book to doing the right thing （i。e。 fighting racism） even though it is costly and often unpopular。 At the end of the day， we should all fight racism because it is the right thing to do。 。。。more
Weekend Reader_
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