An African American and Latinx History of the United States (ReVisioning History) Paperback – December 11, 2018

This book is a piece of art. It takes you on a journey into raw American history BUT NOT ISOLATED a from the world. Our history is showcased in context, as piece in the larger puzzle called world history. This book isn’t for those looking for a Disney version of US history. Also, it’s constant referencing to intersectionality between the struggle of the “other”, the black and brown people of the americas, and beyond, is refreshing and vindicating.Please read with an open mind and heart. USA’s history isn’t pink and sweet, it is sour and mostly bitter. It is our responsibility to be aware of our past and committed to be better humans, now and later.

An in-depth history of the United States from the viewpoint of its most marginalized peoples. I grew up in a time when African-Americans and Latinx people were pit against one another to fight for the small allowances that we were told we could have. In this, I see the history of us all working together and learning from each other to achieve the freedoms that every human being should enjoy. Great work!!!

I originally bought this book for my teenage son to read as a supplement with some other resources for what he is NOT learning in history and social studies. This book has been a valuable reference in our homeschool curriculum and discussions. I encourage anyone reading this book to go even further with their own studies to see where our people have been erased, mistreated, and targeted not only during the slave trade but throughout the inquisition and the years before during the birth, and evolution of the Church. Tying all of this together has been eye-opening.

The book is quite disturbing, it opens my eyes.

It certainly opened my eyes to the wrong history that I was taught in school. Finally the truth is out. Unfortunately it will probably never make it to the classrooms of today. I can only hope that enough people will read this and others of this genre and spread the truth.

Well... this book is well-written, but doesn't offer NEW information in terms of racial capitalism, oppression of the working class, American Imperialism/hegemony, or the paternalism/egocentrism/ethnocentrism inherent in the "ruling classes" throughout the history of America. ANY well informed, knowledgable person should already know all of this. As a US History and Government teacher, I can say that any teacher worth his/her salt has been teaching US History this way for AT LEAST the past decade. HOWEVER, as a 51 year old, it's NOT the way history USED to be taught, so there may be new perspectives/information for the uninformed. ALSO-- sadly, in some schools, social studies education has NOT been a priority in recent years, and perhaps students from those schools are not already aware of all of this. (**Also... in light of everything going on in America today... MAYBE that will change!!! MAYBE the powers that be will recognize the VALUE of social studies education!!!!!**)I will say that even for me (with a Masters in History), the author made an interesting and clear correlation between the LatinX and Black community's efforts that was thought provoking. SO... overall... worth the read. :)

Forgotten or suppressed stories that are an integral part of US history get treated in this book. My own schooling took place between first grade in 1947 and graduate school in 1970, and toward the end of that time I began to notice that several types of experience had been given minimal treatment in textbooks. Since 1970 I have been teaching both undergraduates and graduate students at the university level, where I find I have as much to learn as my students. It seems that in every succeeding decade historians working in archives have enriched and deepened our understanding of our nation's history, our triumphs and failings, and Ortiz's book is an exciting and provocative synthesis of the emerging consensus.

This special treatment of the African American and Latinx historical experience is a must-have for everyone who treasures truth and justice. It shows both adults and young adults what actually happened in history, rather than the feel-good myths contained in most textbooks. An excellent companion to this fresh view of history would be the short story collection "Dash: Young Black Refugee and Migration Stories" or something similar, which illustrates the impact of oppression on past and present people of color.