Resist - by Rita Omokha (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The story of young Black activists at the helm of fighting injustice over the last century, from the 1920s to the Trayvon generation, and how they transformed America and left an indelible mark on history. Growing up as a Nigerian immigrant in the South Bronx, award-winning journalist Rita Omokha contended with her blackness. In 2020, when George Floyd died at the hands of a white police officer, her exploration further developed as she traveled to thirty states attempting to mine contemporary race relations in the U.S. During her trip, she encountered audacious young people like 17-year-old Darnella Frazier, who filmed Floyd's murder, entering a seismic tragedy into the public and historical records, which in turn set off a wave of unprecedented protests across the country. Darnella's quick thinking and courage in that moment is part of a more significant legacy: that of the young Black people--often only teenagers--who have been at the forefront of America's Civil Rights movement for the last hundred years. In Resist, Rita charts the last century of that activism, from the early years of renowned activist Ella Baker, an HBCU student who established critical grassroots organizing networks in the 1920s, and others she inspired, who fought for policy changes in the wake of the unjust trial of the Scottsboro Nine to the first glimpse of allyship in the Bates Seven and a renewed examination of the Black Panthers, all the way to the current generation of young Black revolutionaries who walked American cities in the wake of the murders of countless Black Americans, from Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown to George Floyd. Rita also draws on her own experiences as a Black immigrant living in America, offering a unique and insightful perspective on this ongoing struggle for justice. Rendered with empathy and care, Resist ties these pivotal stories together--and so many more that are lesser known--into one gripping narrative of resilience and unity, and how young Black activists redefined American history"--

Book Synopsis

What do the struggles of the past teach us about the urgent challenges in our own time? Resist chronicles the inspiring story of young Black activists who have fought tirelessly at the helm for justice over the last century, from the 1920s to the Trayvon generation--how they reshaped America, left an indelible mark on history, and pave the way for the crucial work that must be done today.

Growing up as a Nigerian immigrant in the South Bronx, award-winning journalist Rita Omokha contended with her Blackness. In 2020, when George Floyd died at the hands of a white police officer, her exploration further developed as she traveled to thirty states attempting to mine contemporary race relations in the United States. During her trip, she encountered audacious young people like 17-year-old Darnella Frazier, who filmed Floyd's murder, entering a seismic tragedy into the public and historical records, and set off a wave of unprecedented protests across the country. Darnella's quick thinking and courage in that moment is part of a more significant legacy: that of the young Black people--often only teenagers--who have been at the forefront of fortifying and safeguarding American democracy in the last hundred years.

In Resist, Rita charts the last century of civil rights activism, from the early years of renowned activist Ella Baker and others she inspired, to the first glimpse of allyship in the Bates Seven and a renewed examination of the Black Panther Party, all the way to the current generation of young Black revolutionaries who walked American cities in the wake of the murders of countless Black people. Rita also draws on her own experiences as a Black immigrant living in America, offering a unique and insightful perspective on this ongoing struggle for justice.

Rendered with empathy and care, Resist ties these pivotal stories together--and so many more that are lesser known--into an essential and gripping narrative of resilience and unity, and how young Black activists redefined American history.

Review Quotes

One of "The Top 10 Most Anticipated History Books for Fall 2024" --Publishers Weekly
One of The Root's "November 2024 Books By Black Authors We Can't Wait to Read"
One of BookRiot's "Most Exciting Nonfiction Titles Hitting Shelves in November"
A "Must-Read November 2024 Book" --Next Big Idea Club
One of Audible's "most anticipated new releases of Fall 2024."
One of Glamour's UK "Best books of November 2024"

"A must-read for anyone looking to dive into the history of Black youth activism and its immense impact on America." --BookPage (starred review)

"Resist is both incredibly detailed and accessibly readable...[Omokha] helpfully bridges one time period with the next with the precision of a documentary filmmaker." --Booklist (starred review)

"At a time when activism and protest are happening throughout the U.S... Resist is particularly engaging as Omokha weaves in her experiences as a Black immigrant in the U.S., offering a personal voice." --Forbes

"Omokha combines memoir and history in this account of civil rights activism." --The New York Times

"Omokha reminds us that young Black activists have always been beacons of hope and insisted on making America live up to its promise." --ELLE

"This paradigm-shifting book is a must-read. Resist is a powerful and enlightening exploration [with] meticulous research and compelling storytelling." --Glamour UK

"Bold, inspiring, an act of resistance in itself, Resist is a powerful and personal history. Omokha vividly reminds us that protest has always been and always will be essential to progress." --Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

"Rita Omokha has written a crucial distillation of a century of activism and the changes wrought by it. These are perilous times and we've never been more in need of a reminder of what has been achieved against even greater odds than the ones stacked against us today." --Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker staff writer and Emmy- and Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist

"This book is a crucial asset and resource for today's society. Resist encapsulates the everlasting and unwavering fight for justice and equality led by the trailblazing activists from decades past who are still influencing young Black leaders today." -Sunny Hostin, Emmy-winning co-host of The View and New York Times bestselling author of I Am These Truths

"With Resist, Rita Omokha has achieved a dual debut as an author. She has vividly captured more than a century of activism by young Black Americans, and filtered that saga through her own experience as a Nigerian immigrant being thrust into a society of ruthlessly binary racial identity. Part history, part memoir, part call to political arms, Resist is a valuable addition to our nation's protest literature." --Samuel G. Freedman, award-winning author of Into the Bright Sunshine

About the Author

RITA OMOKHA is an award-winning Nigerian American journalist. Her writing on politics, race, and vulnerable communities has been featured on CNN and in Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Elle, Glamour, The Guardian, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, WIRED, and elsewhere. She's an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where she graduated at the top of the 2020 class, receiving some of the institution's highest awards, including the Pulitzer Prize Traveling Fellowship. She lives in Manhattan.