Structure

In part, How to Be an Antiracist is structured like a traditional academic argument, in that Kendi presents his thesis in the introduction—that antiracism is distinct from the passive concept of being “not racist” (9) and that it is the antidote to structural racism—and then follows this up with supporting and otherwise related information. Each of the chapters considers racism from a different angle—including racism rooted in biology, culture, and behavior; and racism intersecting with class, gender, and sexual identity. From each of these angles, Kendi refutes stereotypes and other misconceptions about Black people as a racial monolith, while explaining how antiracism can advance the cause of people of color in America. Kendi's argument is dependent upon a secondary thesis—that racism is largely motivated by the self-interest of those in positions of power, not ignorance. Because of this, antiracists must focus our attention on...