Who is Ibram X. Kendi?

August 21, 2020 - As we continue to distribute free copies of How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, you may be asking yourself Who is Ibram X. Kendi?  Great question!  In this post I’ll share some links and articles about our featured author to provide background information for Kendi and his books.  

Bio

I would recommend first visiting Kendi’s personal website to learn about the author, including bibliographic information and links to many of his published essays.  Also, here’s a profile The New York Times wrote on Kendi.  Some interesting facts about Kendi are that he majored in journalism, and he was initially interested in sports journalism before becoming interested in racial justice work.  Also, at the age of 34 he was the youngest recipient of the National Book Award for Nonfiction. 

He has been a professor at SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Albany, the University of Florida, American University, and Brown University.

Center for Antiracist Research

While many people know Kendi for his publications, people may not know that he founded his own research center entitled Center for Antiracist Research located at Brown University. This project was launched just this year and is currently developing research and policy teams on COVID-19. An exciting organization to follow!

Earlier Works

How to be an Antiracist and Stamped are enjoying wide popularity as people across the country are seeking guidance on how to promote racial equity in their own community. I would also like to highlight Kendi’s first book The Black Campus Movement: Black Students and the Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education, 1965–1972. The book chronicles the activism and history of The Black Campus Movement. This movement demanded diverse college curriculums and the establishment of black studies departments, which are now common in many colleges and universities. A fascinating book for those who want to read more from Kendi. Here’s an interview he gave about the book. 

Essays

As you may have noticed, Kendi has been making many appearances in the media lately: on podcasts, TV shows, and radio programs. Kendi continues to write essays on current events and antiracism in a variety of publications, most prominently The Atlantic. Check out some of his recent essays. 

REMINDER!

If you haven’t picked up a copy of How to be an Antiracist or Stamped, there is still time! Give the Library a call at 360-834-4692 or email us at library@cityofcamas.us.

Elliot Stapleton, Library Associate

August 21, 2020