Wake Up America: Black Women on the Future of Democracy (HC) (2024)

In 1968, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer called for Americans to "wake up" if they wanted to "make democracy a reality." Today, as Black communities continue to face challenges built on centuries of discrimination, her plea is increasingly urgent. In this exhilarating anthology of original essays, Keisha N. Blain brings together the voices of major progressive Black women politicians, grassroots activists, and intellectuals to offer critical insights on how we can create a more equitable political future. Incisive essays include those by former Senator Nina Turner on economic justice, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on reparations, Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza on political power, and abolitionist Mariame Kaba on freedom from policing. Wake Up America addresses our most pressing issues and provides key takeaways for readers inspired to enact change now. As the 2024 election heats up, the advice gathered here is indispensable.