From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor Summary

From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation analyzes the roots of systemic racism in the U.S., linking police violence and economic inequality to broader struggles for Black liberation. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor traces the Black Lives Matter movement’s emergence, critiques neoliberal policies, and argues for cross-racial working-class solidarity to dismantle structural oppression. The book blends historical context with contemporary activism, emphasizing the need for radical social transformation.

Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor is a Princeton University professor, MacArthur Fellow, and activist known for her work on racial inequality and social movements. She authored acclaimed books like Race for Profit (Pulitzer finalist) and edited How We Get Free, which won a Lambda Literary Award. A leading voice on Black politics, she contributes to The New Yorker and co-founded Hammer & Hope magazine.

This book is essential for activists, scholars, and readers interested in anti-racism, social justice, or the Black Lives Matter movement. Taylor’s accessible yet rigorous analysis appeals to those seeking to understand systemic racism’s historical roots, the limitations of reformist policies, and the potential for collective liberation through radical solidarity.

Yes—the book won the Lannan Cultural Freedom Award and is praised for its incisive critique of racism, capitalism, and the Obama era’s political contradictions. Reviewers highlight its blend of academic depth and grassroots insights, calling it “required reading for anyone interested in justice, equality, and freedom.”

Taylor argues that racism is structural, not individual, and tied to capitalism’s exploitation of Black labor. She critiques the “post-racial” myth, examines how neoliberal policies exacerbated inequality, and asserts that Black liberation requires solidarity across racial lines among working-class communities to challenge systemic oppression.

The book links neoliberalism to intensified racial disparities, showing how policies like welfare cuts and prison expansion disproportionately harm Black communities. Taylor argues that market-driven reforms under figures like Clinton and Obama failed to address systemic racism, instead prioritizing corporate interests over racial justice.

Taylor emphasizes that Black liberation cannot be achieved in isolation. She advocates for multiracial working-class unity, noting that police violence and economic exploitation impact marginalized groups broadly. Solidarity, she argues, is key to building power against racist and capitalist systems.

The book ties modern movements like BLM to historical Black radical traditions, including the Black Panthers and abolitionists. Taylor highlights continuities in resistance tactics and the enduring fight against systemic racism, policing, and economic disenfranchisement.

Yes—Haymarket Books offers a free study guide with discussion questions and thematic analysis. Educators and reading groups use it to explore the book’s critiques of racism, capitalism, and movement-building strategies.

While Race for Profit focuses on housing discrimination and predatory lending, this book examines social movements and political ideology. Both works critique systemic racism, but Black Liberation prioritizes grassroots activism’s role in achieving structural change.

The book provides a groundbreaking analysis of BLM’s significance within broader liberation struggles, combining scholarly research with activist perspectives. It challenges superficial reforms, centers Black radical thought, and outlines a path toward collective emancipation, making it a vital resource for understanding racial justice.