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We Refuse

A Forceful History of Black Resistance
By Kellie Carter Jackson
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Brief Description
An "unsparing, erudite, and incisive" (Jelani Cobb, staff writer, The New Yorker) reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy. Named a Best Book of 2024 by Smithsonian, Kirkus, Chicago Review of Books, and Emancipator Black resistance to white supremacy... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5400

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An "unsparing, erudite, and incisive" (Jelani Cobb, staff writer, The New Yorker) reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy.

Named a Best Book of 2024 by Smithsonian, Kirkus, Chicago Review of Books, and Emancipator

Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolence and Malcolm X's "by any means necessary." In We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson looks beyond this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.

The dismissal of "Black violence" as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people for centuries. But force is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781541601598

Publisher: Basic Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 January 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Basic Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 137.0mm

Height: 208.0mm

Weight: 272g

Pages: 304

Collections

American & Canadian History Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Kellie Carter Jackson Non-Fiction

About the Author

Kellie Carter Jackson is the Michael and Denise Kellen '68 Associate Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College. Her book Force and Freedom was a finalist for the Frederick Douglass Book Prize and the Museum of African American History Stone Book Award. She lives outside of Boston with her husband and three children. 

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