Review of Say My Name

[Julise Marsh]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Say My Name" by Vickey Robinson.]

---

3 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I would give this book 3/5. It was written in a journalistic style, had a few grammatical errors, and one instance of borderline profanity. Some mistakes were grammatical (improper use of commas), while some were use of words in the wrong tense. However, the book was truthful and factual in its exploration of what it means to be Black in America. The author, Vickey Robinson, uses various facts and figures to explain her thoughts.

The book takes the reader through the history of being Black in America and touches on many topics such as slavery, Jim Crow, and even the COVID pandemic. Each era was briefly touched upon, but the author was able to tie examples into the major theme of the book. In the beginning of chapter 11, the author writes “How dare I believe that we are all equal? How dare my parents and grandparents tell me that I live in a free society, and I can be anything I choose?” This spoke heavily to a feeling many Black Americans experience at some point in their lives. Because race is a social construct, it is common to believe that there should be no challenges if individuals work hard to reach their goals. However, there are real social implications to perceived race that Black Americans and other people of color face daily that can change the trajectory of their lives.

Towards the end of the book in chapter 20, a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Junior is highlighted - “We must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools.” Although there have been many negative impacts of race in America, there is still time to learn and change for the greater good of the nation. The author reminds us that the first step in moving forward is acknowledging the harm done and working towards building a more equitable future.

In “Say My Name,” the author incites readers with a call to action to examine the role race continues to play in the day to day lives of people of color. This was a fast read and will give readers who are unfamiliar with the topic a starting place to research race relations in the United States of America.

******
Say My Name
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon