I came across this book totally by chance, but I am glad I did. It's a short memoir (which are often the best kind when written by such young people, in my opinion). The author fuses his own experiences with those of his family members within the framework of American society and civil rights. I have to admit, I'd never heard of Sellers, but his story is not one I will be quick to forget. He was remarkably candid and even emotional, willing to confess his own mistakes, discuss the many obstacles he faced, yet all the while acknowledging the support he received and the powerful sense of hope and faith that bolstered him through difficult times. I also appreciated how open he was about his struggles with mental health and serious bouts of anxiety, which, though difficult for anyone to talk about, I think is sadly still more of a taboo for men to discuss openly. Sellers came across as quite personable and I am curious to learn more about him and his work. Recommended!


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I had high hopes for this book. But I felt like he left a lot off the stories and sort of got arrogant. It was a nice view into what it takes to be a Black politician in the South though.

Very interesting life story. Bakari grew up around a lot of important people so he has seen a lot. The stories of Orangeburg killing were very scary. His political run was interesting. Probably even more interesting to anyone that knows South Carolina politics. The chapter about the Mother Emmanuel Church killings was scary and sad. I hope Bakari runs for office again, he wonders how his Dad can read the newspaper each day but then he goes to work for CNN. How many people younger than him does he think are watching that? I found this book from hearing him on a podcast so he has done a good job of getting his message out.

I LOVED parts of this, especially the parts on his family's struggles, his father's life, his own struggles with anxiety and what happened to his wife when their twins were born. Parts of it felt like a campaign book--you know, those ones people write when they are getting ready to run for president. This is not a problem at all, I just didn't expect it. But I am sure that politics has not seen the last of this young man, so. Enjoyed this.

Our former SC State Representative talks about poverty and growing up in rural Denmark, the little known Orangeburg Massacre, running for office, equity, equality, the ongoing problem of Black Womxn‘s mortality & morbidity in healthcare, and the continuing legacy of the stain of slavery. He talks about what anll of this is like while being Black, especially in the Deep South.

Denmark isn‘t far from where I currently live, and I was never taught about the Orangeburg Massacre—it‘s an hour away. Nor was I ever taught about the deep inequities, the daily struggle of what it means to be Black, especially in a place where a remarkable amount of people are still so hateful. These are all things I learned by listening to other peoplx talk about their experiences, whether in physical conversation, through documentaries, or reading in books like this one.

I hope my state will finally see deep change soon—its peoplx can‘t wait. As the next election approaches I am deeply afraid for what is coming. This book once again reminds us how much work is still to be done. Recommended.

Heard the author on NPR but was unfamiliar with him until then. His life was greatly shaped by the 1968 on-campus Orangeburg (S.C.) Massacre, which preceded Kent State by 2 years and for which his civil rights activist father was the scapegoat. Important and interesting in his own right, the pairing of two generations of life stories was the real draw for me.

This a great memoir that weaves in the lasting legacy social, political, and racial issues in this country. I learned a lot about South Carolina, and enjoyed hearing about his family’s connection to the civil rights movement.

My only critique stems from a lot of over explanation of terms and themes that are connected to African American culture, especially those in the south. I found this a bit distracting at times, leaving me to ask, for who was this book intended.

Enjoyed this memoir that was both personal and political. Was fun to hear the background on a CNN commentator I’d seen for years, from his own mouth.

I enjoyed this memoir a lot. I think I liked it so much because I rarely get such openness and honesty from a Black man. Hearing about him growing up in the South (where my family is from), attending Morehouse and becoming a politician and lawyer was a different perspective from mine but also very relatable.

Bakari Sellers' book was published in early 2020 - released in the midst of covid and nationwide BLM focus and anti-racist/police protests. Recommended by friends and on multiple reading lists. It's part memoir, part SC history, part cultural/political analysis and highlighted a lot of SC past that is clearly not taught in public schools. The educational 'corridor of shame' should be shameful for all SC citizens. I finished this book the day the SC guv allocated public school money to private schools. (Not pretending that I understand all the reasons or details, but way to help out rich white people, sir). It's all connected. And I learned more about the Orangeburg Massacre from this book than from our kids textbooks.