I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

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I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness Cover Book by Austin Channing Brown

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown is a memoir about a black Christian woman experiences in America. It was published on May 13 2018 by the Convergent Books. This book has 192 pages containing the life story of Austin Channing Brown.

Austin Channing Brown's first encounter with a racist American was at age seven, when she discovered her parents named her Austin to trick her potential employer into thinking she is a white man. In a time when nearly every institution claims to value diversity in its mission statement, Austin wrote in great detail about her journey to self-esteem and the traps that kill our pursuit of racial justice.[1] The Austin's New York Times Bestseller has taken her across the country speaking to universities, mass audiences, churches and businesses.[2]

Summary

In this powerful book, Brown reveals her weariness with white people as she carefully details the experiences of being a black woman in modern American society. After explaining that her parents named her Austin so that potential employers would "think of you as a white man," she wrote her usual typical interview and the first few months at a new job: “Every pair of eyes looks at me in surprise.... Should they have known? Am I now more impressive or less impressive?... It would be comical if it wasn’t so damn disappointing.” In an obvious process, she relates anecdotes to explain racial injustices systematically reinforced by white society standards.

As a Christian, Brown believes that the history of American Christianity is deeply connected with racial relations and that the Christian community needs to play a large role in racial reconciliation. Explaining that change needs to come from acknowledging systemic inequality, Brown calls on readers to live up to their ideals, not just to state them.[3]

Black Empowerment

Austin Brown once had a conversation with an editor at a publisher and said that she really wanted to write a book about 'navigating' white people from the point of view of black women that is not rooted in the 'hood', she didn't want to attract attention and suddenly meet white people. She's been around white people all her life and she wants to write a book about it. The editor basically turns down the concept by saying "Austin, I understand, but because you're not famous, no one will read it. No one will read that memoir." But later, the editor was proved wrong.

In July 2020, Brown's book became a New York Times best-seller and was selected by Reese Witherspoon as the book of the month for June by Hello Sunshine book club. Channing Brown's books have rocketed to Amazon's top 20 bestsellers list. The book has sold out both online and in stores. I'm Still Here published in May 2018, but surprisingly become a huge success after two years.

Brown realized that the reason that book is doing so well is in large part because of the death of Floyd, a Black man, by white Minneapolis Police Officer. The country has seen protests against police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement remains strong. The success of Channing Brown's memoir and other books by Black authors arrives as the book world has joined the Black Lives Matter movement. Channing Brown notes it shouldn't be forgotten that "people of color have been telling their story for centuries."[4]

References

  1. I'm Still Here Penguin Random House. Retrieved January 15 2021.
  2. THE BESTSELLER THAT BEGAN A MOVEMENT. Retrieved January 15 2021.
  3. I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. Publishers Weekly May 15 2018. Retrieved January 15 2021.
  4. Author Austin Channing Brown on Lessons 'I Am Still Here' Memoir Teaches Amid Current Racial Justice Movement. The Hollywood Reporter July 9 2020. Retrieved January 15 2021.