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A review by elliott_roi
Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by Robyn Maynard
5.0
Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by Robyn Maynard should definitely be required reading for Canadians. We like to think of ourselves as "not having a racism problem like the US," but that is clearly not the case. Maynard uses thorough research and heartbreaking examples to show all the ways that Canada uses state violence to uphold white supremacy and oppress Black people and other POC.
I appreciated how this book took an intersectional approach to the topic of racism. While focusing on Black experiences, it still acknowledged the ways that anti-Blackness intersects with other identities, such as being an immigrant, a woman, disabled, LGBTQ+, etc. It had a few sections that focused in particular on the struggles of Black immigrants and Black women. It also acknowledged how colonialism and the oppression of Indigenous peoples in Canada are connected to anti-Blackness.
Maynard also took the time to recognize Black resilience in the face of racism and state violence. Black folks have fought tirelessly against oppression, both for themselves and others, and it's important to celebrate those victories.
I learned so much from this book and was engaged from start to finish. I listened to it on audiobook, but about halfway through I bought the physical copy for the next time I read it. I took lots of notes as I listened, but I'd love to annotate the physical book one day.
Policing Black Lives is definitely most relevant in the Canadian context, but I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in social justice. It has so many great insights and will definitely be a book I revisit often.
I appreciated how this book took an intersectional approach to the topic of racism. While focusing on Black experiences, it still acknowledged the ways that anti-Blackness intersects with other identities, such as being an immigrant, a woman, disabled, LGBTQ+, etc. It had a few sections that focused in particular on the struggles of Black immigrants and Black women. It also acknowledged how colonialism and the oppression of Indigenous peoples in Canada are connected to anti-Blackness.
Maynard also took the time to recognize Black resilience in the face of racism and state violence. Black folks have fought tirelessly against oppression, both for themselves and others, and it's important to celebrate those victories.
I learned so much from this book and was engaged from start to finish. I listened to it on audiobook, but about halfway through I bought the physical copy for the next time I read it. I took lots of notes as I listened, but I'd love to annotate the physical book one day.
Policing Black Lives is definitely most relevant in the Canadian context, but I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in social justice. It has so many great insights and will definitely be a book I revisit often.