Summary

Chapter 8, “Behavior” (92) is a continuation of the topics introduced in the “Body” chapter, as Kendi establishes that, just as the Black body is not inherently more aggressive and threatening, the Black mind is not inherently inferior. Once again he notes that ideas about this supposed inferiority can be traced back to slavery, in which Black people were characterized by traders and masters with traits like “hypersexuality, immorality, criminality, and laziness” (96). Kendi recalls his personal struggles with academics, barely making C's and D's in high school. He discusses the racial biases of standardized tests, and recalls attending a prep class for the GRE in college. This class was not so much about reviewing specific material that would be on the exam, but about acquiring the skills needed to succeed on a standardized test. He then flashes back to the oratory contest he won, mentioned...