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A review by wellworn_soles
Insurrection: Rebellion, Civil Rights, and the Paradoxical State of Black Citizenship by Hawa Allan
5.0
I’m awestruck by this work. Hawa Allan writes with literary precision, weaving history and legality with anecdotes of her own life in original and exciting ways. The best types of essayists succeed at this setup, pulling from every angle, building argument up so diligently that as the pieces fall into place it feels inevitable.
The trajectory of the Insurrection Act is dubious; historically, it was used both to quell white aggression in the Reconstruction era and against “race riots” in the latter half of the 20th century. This ambivalence mirrors the vacillating, half-formed dreamscape of freedom and equality in the United States. Allan elucidates the strange relationship between our being and our becoming; how our narratives cross and recross, turning back inwards, reinforcing extant realities as they silently preclude others. Its fascinating, exhilarating, and written with a balanced elegance I thoroughly enjoyed. 5 stars.
The trajectory of the Insurrection Act is dubious; historically, it was used both to quell white aggression in the Reconstruction era and against “race riots” in the latter half of the 20th century. This ambivalence mirrors the vacillating, half-formed dreamscape of freedom and equality in the United States. Allan elucidates the strange relationship between our being and our becoming; how our narratives cross and recross, turning back inwards, reinforcing extant realities as they silently preclude others. Its fascinating, exhilarating, and written with a balanced elegance I thoroughly enjoyed. 5 stars.