Stamped is a sweeping overview of racism in the United States throughout the nation's 500+ years of existence. The book is organized chronologically into five main sections. Although each section provides an overview of historical events, the sections also center around the narratives of five "main characters." These individuals include Puritan minister Cotton Mather, President Thomas Jefferson, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, and anti-prison activist Angela Davis.
Section I focuses on events that took place between 1415-1728. Before the authors dive into the rise of Cotton Mather, they first introduce Gomes Eanes de Zurara, a Portuguese chronicler of the Age of Discovery. Zurara is given the title of the "world's first racist" because he used storytelling to heroically depict the enslavement of Moroccans at the hands of the Portuguese monarchy. According to Zurara, the Portuguese felt that it was their noble duty to civilize and Christianize the "African savages." Zurara's narrative romanticized and heroized slavery while simultaneously erasing its brutality and inhumanness. Later—in the 17th century—Cotton Mather, an important Puritan minister in the English colonies in America, took up Zurara's narrative to justify slavery in the Americas. Reynolds and Kendi connect the stories of Zurara and Cotton Mather in order to demonstrate the power of narrative storytelling and its generational effects. In Stamped, Kendi and Reynolds reclaim the role of chronicler and depict the horrific realities of slavery. The authors encourage the audience to recognize the inherent bias that permeates historical chronicles as a means to identify and deconstruct racism.
Section II discusses the events that took place between 1743-1826, also known as the Enlightenment Era. The Enlightenment has long been regarded as a sort of intellectual renaissance, when the modern era dominated by scientific advance and the spread of democratic government. The Enlightenment era also culminated in the formal establishment of the United States of America in 1776. However, Reynolds and Kendi use this section to address the racism and hypocrisy that is deeply embedded in Enlightenment philosophies, and thus in the founding of the nation. Reynolds and Kendi argue that prominent leaders, such as Thomas Jefferson, should not be unilaterally idealized for valuing individualism and freedom when they prevented Black people from having these rights. Instead, they advocate analyzing the hypocritical agendas and the racist actions of America's so-called founding fathers. In Section II, Kendi and Reynolds demonstrate how Black people have been "stamped" into the founding documents of the United States as second-class citizens.
Section III spans from 1826-1879. During this time, William Lloyd Garrison emerged as a prominent abolitionist thinker who gained notoriety for his newspaper, the Liberator. Garrison founded the American Anti-Slavery Society and published antislavery pamphlets that were widely distributed across the United States. Additionally, the authors make a point not to depict Garrison as a white savior. Although Garrison wanted abolition, he was initially fearful of integrating former slaves into White society. However, Garrison later recognized the flaws in his thinking and adjusted his perspectives. Kendi and Reynolds incorporate Garrison's story into Stamped in order to demonstrate one of the first public-facing, white antiracists. Garrison used his influence and his white privilege to openly discuss the horrors of slavery and advocate for abolition. Because of his whiteness, Garrison was able to influence people that would not listen to the arguments of Black abolitionists. The authors use William Lloyd Garrison as a model for white antiracist behavior. Kendi and Reynolds explain that white Americans today should learn from Garrison and use their societal privilege to dismantle systemic racism.
Section IV describes events that occurred between 1868-1963. W.E.B. Du Bois is introduced as the king of “uplift suasion” because he encouraged Black people to integrate into American society by competing with white people. Reynolds and Kendi expose the complex and racist thinking of Du Bois, who prided himself on exceptionalism and blamed Black people for being mistreated. Du Bois exemplifies how white supremacy and racism have historically been internalized by Black people. However, in outlining Du Bois's long career and his transformation over time, Reynolds and Kendi argue that people can radicalize their perspectives and transform from assimilationists to antiracists.
Section V traces events from 1963 through the present era. The section focuses on the work of activist Angela Davis. In many history books, the profound contributions of Black women and their organizing work are either minimized or omitted entirely. Reynolds and Kendi highlight Davis and her advocacy of intersectional activism. Black woman leaders such as Davis disrupted the social constructions of both race and gender. Throughout her career, Davis struggled to find her place within activist organizations that were either "too white," "too capitalist," or "too male-dominated." Davis argues that racism, sexism, capitalism, and heterosexism work together to compound our oppression, and everyone must work collectively to eradicate these systems. Through her involvement with the Black Power movement, the feminist movement, and the prison abolition movement, Davis is a prominent leader who profoundly argues that we must work collaboratively towards the collective liberation of all people. By concluding the book with the work of Angela Davis, Reynolds and Kendi explain that antiracism is radical liberation. One cannot be antiracist without simultaneously fighting to eradicate capitalism, sexism, heterosexism, and transphobia.
