A review by hopejrc
The Price for Their Pound of Flesh: The Value of the Enslaved, from Womb to Grave, in the Building of a Nation by Daina Ramey Berry

5.0

Although more of an academic read, this book packs a punch that will stay with me forever. I mean, we all hear how it's important to understand history so you can understand the present and this book is essential in that understanding. When looking at current movements like Black Lives Matter, the historical context of how Black bodies were exploited and used and how the majority of our institutions are what they are as a result of this exploitation is so critical. Because you have to understand how Black bodies HAVEN'T mattered and White bodies HAVE mattered to understand the need to bring awareness to how Black lives still suffer today from the generational legacy of enslavement. And saying this and learning this isn't saying White lives don't matter but it IS saying Black Lives Matter TOO.