I tried reading State of Emergency, but it didn't grab me. I don't know if it was the mood I was in or the style. I'll have to try another time since I do think it has potential.

Full review at TheGrio.com

As a child growing up in the Black freedom movement with parents who were allied with Reverend Al Sharpton‘s National Action Network, on Saturday mornings, Tamika D. Mallory attended freedom rallies and spent time in the community instead of watching cartoons.

As a teen, her first instinct was to rebel against their all-consuming focus. As befitting the professional activist she is in her own right today, her first book, State of Emergency, is a powerful polemic about a crisis in America and how to cure it.

In a conversational yet commanding style, Mallory delivers fiery argument for substantive social change, rhetoric made real by a deeply personal perspective. There’s no distance between subject and speaker here, and the personal ethos, her identity and credibility as an activist, and the deep wellsprings of emotion she taps into are significant aspects of what makes the book work.

3.5 stars

This relatively short book delivers a wallop of a punch in order to ensure that the call for social justice for Black America does not fade from the frontline.

As it is the role of an activist and organizer, Mallory has not only raises the alarm but provides a primer on the why, how, and what of being proactive regarding social justice.

The format is logical and has the right bites of information without overwhelming the reader. The language is plain-spoken and speaks with a passion and urgency.

Mallory starts out with her personal experience helping to form an intimate connection with her readers, and then goes on to showcase – “How We Got Here”, “Where We are”, and “Where We Are Going”.

The key takeaways for me were:
- There is a place and a way for everyone to be involved. (Not everyone wants to be on the protest line)
- The key to being successful is a multipronged approach; Protest, Politics (going to the polls), Policy
- Effective communication and goals for Protest, Politics, Policy will ensure there is an understanding on what can be done.

This is a practical book that all will find readable and encouraging. This impactful book deserves to be a part of public and school library collections.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.