Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America

Watch Conversation HERE

About the book:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE * AMAZON'S TOP 20 HISTORY BOOKS OF 2023 * B&N BEST OF EDUCATIONAL HISTORY * THE ROOT'S BEST BOOKS OF 2023 * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023

From acclaimed columnist and political commentator Michael Harriot, a searingly smart and bitingly hilarious retelling of American history that corrects the record and showcases the perspectives and experiences of Black Americans.

America's backstory is a whitewashed mythology implanted in our collective memory. It is the story of the pilgrims on the Mayflower building a new nation. It is George Washington's cherry tree and Abraham Lincoln's log cabin. It is the fantastic tale of slaves that spontaneously teleported themselves here with nothing but strong backs and negro spirituals. It is a sugarcoated legend based on an almost true story.

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 by white men with their perspectives at the forefront. It could even be said that the devaluation and erasure of the Black experience is as American as apple pie.

In Black AF History, Michael Harriot presents a more accurate version of American history. Combining unapologetically provocative storytelling with meticulous research based on primary sources as well as the work of pioneering Black historians, scholars, and journalists, Harriot removes the white sugarcoating from the American story, placing Black people squarely at the center. With incisive wit, Harriot speaks hilarious truth to oppressive power, subverting conventional historical narratives with little-known stories about the experiences of Black Americans. From the African Americans who arrived before 1619 to the unenslavable bandit who inspired America's first police force, this long overdue corrective provides a revealing look into our past that is as urgent as it is necessary. For too long, we have refused to acknowledge that American history is white history. Not this one. This history is Black AF.

About the author:

When CNN wanted to know the origin of the phrase woke, they called Michael Harriot. When MSNBC needed someone to explain critical race theory, they called Michael Harriot. When Black Twitter was asked to choose one name that embodied its collective ethos, Michael Harriot was the runaway answer.

Michael Harriot is a journalist, author and cultural critic who has been hailed as "one of the most eloquent writers in America." His acerbic wit, biting commentary, and investigative reporting have influenced everything from presidential politics to pop culture. As the originator of the phrase “invited to the cookout,” his social media posts contextualizing history are shared by millions, while his award-winning journalism has appeared in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, your television, and his mother’s refrigerator. He was one of the first journalists to ring the alarm on the online underground movement called the alt-right, a little-known group called the Proud Boys and was among the first to propose a then-radical idea: student loan forgiveness.

Michael earned degrees in mass communications and history from Auburn University and earned a master's degree in macroeconomics and international business from Florida State University. He earned National Association of Black Journalists Awards for digital commentary, television news writing and magazine writing. His "How Did We Get Here" segment on the Amber Ruffin Show earned a 2021 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. 

He is the author of the upcoming book Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America and currently serves as a columnist for The Guardian and theGrio.com, where he covers the intersection of race, politics, and media...And animal attacks. 

But mostly the politics and race stuff.

About the host:

Greg Carr is an Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Howard School of Law. He is First Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations and Editor of The Compass: The Journal of ASCAC.  A former board member of the National Council for Black Studies, Dr. Carr has twice been named national “HBCU Male Faculty Member of the Year” by HBCU Digest and has been voted "Professor of the Year" several times by Howard students. He led the team that designed the curriculum framework for the School District of Philadelphia’s mandatory high school African American History course and, during his time as the District's Program Specialist on Race and Culture, co-founded Philadelphia Freedom Schools. His writing has appeared in books, academic and popular journals and he serves as a contributor to and/or commentator in a wide range of media. He is a weekly panelist on the daily digital news show “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and co-hosts Karen Hunter’s weekly Saturday YouTube series, “In Class With Carr.” His commentaries on the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture appeared in the August and September 2016 issues of Ebony Magazine.Dr. Carr’s chapter, “Re-Literacy and African Power in the Trump Era,” appears in Not Our President, Third World Press’ book-length commentary on the Trump presidency. He tweets at @AfricanaCarr and blogs at drgregcarr.com