BRIDGS Keynote: "We Refuse: A Forceful History History of Black Resistance"

Abstract: Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson looks beyond this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women and with emphasis on gun ownership. The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people for centuries. But force is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.

Moderator: Jennifer Carlson

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Innovation Auditorium, Health North 550 N. 3rd St. Phoenix Arizona 85004

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Host or Publisher ASU Center for the Study of Guns in Society