Race Rebels: Culture, Politics, and the Black Working Class

by Robin D.G. Kelley and Virginia Kelley

Book Overview

Examines day-to-day examples of resistance against discrimination, noting how slowdowns, migrations, and sabotage were done in a way that made them seem less threatening. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684826399
• ISBN13: 9780684826394
• Release Date: June 1996
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

talks about little known portions of US history

Kelley highlights an underappreciated portion of twentieth century American history - the intersection of the Negro working class with the simultaneous aspects of race and class. His book delves into the interwar period, and brings back almost forgotten archives and memories. The influence of Marxist thought on some Negro activists is shown. To the extent that the American Communist Party received significant membership from Negroes. At the time, it was one of the few relatively colour-blind organisations. Of course, this very fact was used against the Communists and Negro activists by segregationists. The book has numerous nuggets of history that might have often been omitted from other texts. Thus, you may well have heard of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which fought for the Spanish Republic during its civil war. But did you know that in that brigade were over 70 Negroes? Who saw the war as an extension of a war on racism and poverty, in Africa and the US. Kelley shows gives us their motivations and how they fared.

Cutting edge history at its best.

Race Rebels forces readers to re-think their definitions of politics, resistance, and the relationship between social movements and everyday life. It is certainly the most sophisticated history book I've ever read. The author does a great job dissecting the struggles of African Americans in the 20th century and helps us understand why these struggles are so fundamental to american history.