Comic book artist Joel Christian Gill and historian Ibram X. Kendi embark on a groundbreaking collaboration, translating the comprehensive history of racism into a visually engaging and easily digestible graphic format. The graphic novel version of Kendi’s 2016 book Stamped from Beginning harnesses the strengths of the original volume, presenting a comprehensive narrative about the enduring history of racist, anti-Black ideas in the United States. Kendi’s research illuminates the evolution—and devolution—of egalitarian concepts in shaping American sentiments, legislation, and society. Beyond personal discrimination and animosity, Stamped from the Beginning delves into how racial stratification has perpetuated socioeconomic disparities that persist today.
Gill’s adaptation uses the life stories of iconic American thinkers who promulgated racist history, from Puritan minister Cotton Mather to abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. These figures are not just historical; their ideas and actions continue to shape our understanding of racial justice today. The antiracist legacies of intellectual W.E.B. Du Bois and activist Angela Davis are distilled into essential points that are relevant and relatable in current discourses about racial justice.
In the graphic adaptation, Gill closely follows the intention and impact of the original volume, echoing the tone and intention of unlearning deeply held notions about racism. This version approximates the impact of Kendi’s book, as it tells the complete, often hidden story of the persistence of racist ideas in American life.
