An African American and Latinx History of the United States (ReVisioning History)

This book is a great read, but it will piss you off. One of the most eye opening books I have read in a long time.

Worth reading to better understand the dark side of US exceptionalism. Detailed with references, authoritative but enthralling, stay with it.

Forgotten or suppressed stories that are an integral part of US history get treated in this book. My own schooling took place between first grade in 1947 and graduate school in 1970, and toward the end of that time I began to notice that several types of experience had been given minimal treatment in textbooks. Since 1970 I have been teaching both undergraduates and graduate students at the university level, where I find I have as much to learn as my students. It seems that in every succeeding decade historians working in archives have enriched and deepened our understanding of our nation's history, our triumphs and failings, and Ortiz's book is an exciting and provocative synthesis of the emerging consensus.

Well... this book is well-written, but doesn't offer NEW information in terms of racial capitalism, oppression of the working class, American Imperialism/hegemony, or the paternalism/egocentrism/ethnocentrism inherent in the "ruling classes" throughout the history of America. ANY well informed, knowledgable person should already know all of this. As a US History and Government teacher, I can say that any teacher worth his/her salt has been teaching US History this way for AT LEAST the past decade. HOWEVER, as a 51 year old, it's NOT the way history USED to be taught, so there may be new perspectives/information for the uninformed. ALSO-- sadly, in some schools, social studies education has NOT been a priority in recent years, and perhaps students from those schools are not already aware of all of this. (**Also... in light of everything going on in America today... MAYBE that will change!!! MAYBE the powers that be will recognize the VALUE of social studies education!!!!!**)I will say that even for me (with a Masters in History), the author made an interesting and clear correlation between the LatinX and Black community's efforts that was thought provoking. SO... overall... worth the read. :)

Written in a style that reminded me of Howard Zinn's 'A People's History of the United States'. I learned to see the founding of our nation through the hidden struggles of different ethnicity. I highly recommend this for a wealth of information I'm glad I now know. I plan to read it again!

This book is a piece of art. It takes you on a journey into raw American history BUT NOT ISOLATED a from the world. Our history is showcased in context, as piece in the larger puzzle called world history. This book isn’t for those looking for a Disney version of US history. Also, it’s constant referencing to intersectionality between the struggle of the “other”, the black and brown people of the americas, and beyond, is refreshing and vindicating.Please read with an open mind and heart. USA’s history isn’t pink and sweet, it is sour and mostly bitter. It is our responsibility to be aware of our past and committed to be better humans, now and later.

Truly eye opening. Don’t just read this book. Highlight, take notes, absorb the information. Use it to educate yourself and others. I’m studying to be a history teacher and I hope one day I’ll see this book as apart of the school curriculum in the United States because it should be.

This book is creatively distilled, well evidenced, and convincing. It presents a totally different view of history that is of critical importance for all of us. I highly recommend this book for people of all ages. It's approachable and intended for high school students, though complex enough for everyone to glean important and critical knowledge. A must read! The great supplement for Zinn lovers.

For someone with limited history knowledge, I did not understand some of the book. There is a lot of information and, for me, I found it hard to read and keep track of what was happening. I think this is a great book for someone who already has history knowledge of USA/Latin America and wants to see a different perspective. If you are looking for a dumbed-down basic version of events this is not it.

Bonne état