Featured Reviews

First published by Choice Reviews, these long-form reviews consider titles that explore issues of social inequities and racial justice. We highlight these important resources and valuable perspectives here in the hope that we can introduce useful titles for personal or institutional collections.

A Vicious Cycle: Wesley Lowery Analyzes the Resurgence of White Identity Politics
Lowery presses readers to challenge the mainstreaming of extremist racial violence in order to uphold the values of multiculturalism and liberal democracy.
Posted on 11/08/2023 in Featured Reviews
A New Founding Narrative: African Influences in the Creation of America
David Hackett Fischer explores the diverse African traditions that shaped American institutions and history.
Posted on 10/24/2023 in Featured Reviews
Understanding Blackness Online: Race and Cyberculture
Posted on 08/15/2023 in Featured Reviews
Slaveholder Republic: Gerald Horne Unravels the Dark Roots of Texas’s Statehood
Driven by the desire to maintain slavery, the Texas Revolution of 1836 ultimately led to the institution's expansion.
Posted on 07/31/2023 in Featured Reviews
Decentering Whiteness and Uplifting Black Voices: “The 1619 Project” Reclaims American History
Based on the newspaper project, this new book reimagines the standard American history curriculum by reexploring pivotal historical events from the perspective of Black Americans.
Posted on 04/20/2023 in Featured Reviews
The Indomitable Fannie Lou Hamer: A New Biography Chronicles Her Lifelong Struggle for Justice
Kate Clifford Larson renders a touching portrait of Hamer as a truly organic intellectual and charismatic leader who championed women's rights, voting rights, and equality for all.
Posted on 03/14/2023 in Featured Reviews
Colorblindness Is Identity Theft: Acknowledging Racist Histories to Create Diverse Futures
Exploring her own racial ancestry, Georgina Lawton urges readers to unpack commonly held perceptions of race to understand how these ultimately diminish non-white people's humanity.
Posted on 01/05/2023 in Featured Reviews
More than a Slogan: Derecka Purnell Champions Meaningful Commitment to Abolition and Social Justice
Though some may fear the insecurity of a society without police, Purnell challenges readers to consider measures that will foster both peace and justice.
Posted on 08/31/2022 in Featured Reviews

About the Editor:

Alexia Hudson-Ward is Associate Director of Research, Learning, and Strategic Partnerships, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries. Her past roles include: the Azariah Smith Root Director of Libraries for Oberlin College, a Penn State tenured librarian, an award-winning entertainment editor, public radio promotions coordinator, and Coca-Cola Company marketing manager. Alexia holds a MLIS degree from the University of Pittsburgh & BA from Temple University and is currently a Simmons University doctoral candidate in the Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions program.

Featured Reviews

First published by Choice Reviews, these long-form reviews consider titles that explore issues of social inequities and racial justice. We highlight these important resources and valuable perspectives here in the hope that we can introduce useful titles for personal or institutional collections.

A Vicious Cycle: Wesley Lowery Analyzes the Resurgence of White Identity Politics

A New Founding Narrative: African Influences in the Creation of America

Understanding Blackness Online: Race and Cyberculture

Slaveholder Republic: Gerald Horne Unravels the Dark Roots of Texas’s Statehood

Decentering Whiteness and Uplifting Black Voices: “The 1619 Project” Reclaims American History

The Indomitable Fannie Lou Hamer: A New Biography Chronicles Her Lifelong Struggle for Justice

Colorblindness Is Identity Theft: Acknowledging Racist Histories to Create Diverse Futures

More than a Slogan: Derecka Purnell Champions Meaningful Commitment to Abolition and Social Justice