Jemar Tisby

My thanks to someone on either LibraryThing or GoodReads who recommended this as the better book than Reconstructing the Gospel on discussing Christianity, the church and racism. This had a lot of historical background information. It was better written in that it really laid out the problem from the beginnings and then came forward in time. I really appreciated the end chapters with their suggestions on how to address the problem. I'm so grateful for books that go beyond just describing a problem and offer ways to make a difference. This is one of those. Well written, though the author's narration was not the best, the material really kept my attention. This would be great to read with a group. There is so much to delve into. Very thoughtfully put together.… (mer)

The Color of Compromise is a historical survey focusing on the ways American Christianity has been complicit in enslavement and racism throughout the history of the United States, from colonization to the present. I found it to be a heavy read, but a necessary one.

One of the most compelling arguments Tisby presents throughout the book centers around the notion that white American Christianity has consistently focused on individual conversion at the expense of systemic change. He does an excellent job of tracing this theme from the First and Second Great Awakenings through to today. He scrutinizes oft revered American religious figures such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, and exposes the ways in which they enabled slavery- Tisby pulls no punches in discussing Jim Crow era racial terror, and furthermore, considers the insidious ways racism still permeates society today.

The book was well-researched, well-presented, and I greatly appreciated Tisby's final chapter containing concrete suggestions about how Christians can work to combat racism today.

This is a sobering read, but one I highly recommend. Those of us who are part of the many, many Christian denominations and communities that have played a role in oppressing Black Americans- overtly and through silence in the face of injustice- need to read this book.… (mer)

This is a difficult for me to review. The audience is young blacks from age 8 to 12. That is fine for me, I am a 75 year white woman. The parts that were difficult to read was the assumption that the audience is Christian. There a lot of references to Bible which is fine. But I thought this is not appropriate for young Muslims, Jews and all other religions that do not believe that the Christian religion is the only religuon for people. I think that I objecting for myself too. A few of the questions at the end of the chapter were only for Christians. The author did reference
places in the bible that were fine but again it was the questions that I thought were too exclusive, assuming that Christinity is only way to fight racism.

Now what I liked and loved. The emphasis on fighting racism by forming friendships with people who are not like you. That made me feel very comfortable because I do that a lot and would love it if more people did. the history of racism was well written. When I was going up the Reconstruction Period was skipped. I remember seeing a political cartoon in for that period that gave me the creeps. It was definitely racist. I want to read the truth of that period. I will be looking for book on that

The author has short chapters on fighters against racism, for me the most inspiring is the one of Fannie Lou Hamer. It is short and leaves out the most heartbreaking moments of her life. I found audio and visual on the Internet that fills many of the holes and is example of a woman who spoke of the importance of voter registration and the power of the vote. Also the painful and deadly struggle for voting rights.… (mer)