Black Klansman

"Black Klansman is such an intriguing story. It's a true story about a black undercover cop who infiltrates the local KKK over the phone. A movie is coming out by Jordan Peele & Spike Lee, and I'm really looking forward to it. <br/><br/>It was interesting to see what's changed since the 70s and what hasn't. I know some people think that racism doesn't exist anymore, or it's so much "better" now, but so many of the ****** up things that were said in this book felt familiar to today's ****** American culture. People are still hateful, they're just expressing it a little differently sometimes.<br/><br/>One thing that was so crazy to me was that the KKK members were so driven by hatred that they wanted to talk about it on the phone ALL THE TIME - to the point that Ron was able to build relationships / infiltrate over the phone. All of their other behavior was already weird, and this was just another piece added on to all the strangeness. The members were delusional, sad, cowardly, and afraid, and this book sheds some light on their behavior. There were some cult aspects, and the leaders sort of reminded me of Manson in the way that they were trying to bring about paranoia and panic because of race.<br/><br/>Ron was brave, bold, and amusing. I really enjoyed reading the story from his point of view, and their were some pretty hilarious parts, especially his interactions with David Duke. I appreciate that Ron was willing to tell his story.<br/><br/>Thank you so much to Flatiron Books for sending me a copy of this!"

"An interesting story but on multiple occasions I definitely got the sense it was written by a cop in the sense that when reading a misogynistic description of a woman you feel something is “written by a man (derogatory).” I most felt the “written by a cop (derogatory)” energy particularly when Stallworth was referencing leftist protesters or radicals—descriptions of which felt condescending or were characterized as “dangerous” like civil rights activist Kwame Ture. I very much got the sense that his time as a cop heavily impacted how he views protesters as well as heavy-handed judicial punishment. It was very interesting to have just finished reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson before this, which gave me a more informed perspective on the judicial system. <br/><br/>It made me uncomfortable to listen to Stallworth talking about Black residents in his community protesting a 15 year old Black minor being tried as an adult in court—something which Bryan Stevenson discussed at length in regards to his legal efforts to get rid of this unfair practice. Stallworth evidently believed the 15 year old was deserving of it and that this wasn’t racially motivated because the child allegedly made a comment that he’d wanted to know what it was like to kill someone. When a famous civil rights activist was brought in to bring more attention to the protest and Stallworth was tasked with guarding him, he told the activist he admired that he believed he’d been duped into putting his good name in with someone who didn’t deserve it. Apparently, Stallworth’s own aunt didn’t speak to him for years over this, and you know, I’m on her side there. After reading Just Mercy, I don’t understand how someone could try a juvenile in adult court, condemn them for life (essentially saying a 15 year old can never mature, never become a different person, and can never hope to make a positive impact on society), and subject them to unimaginable amounts of physical and sexual abuse in federal prison regardless of what dumb idiot comment they made when they were a teenager. The fact that Stallworth believed that was justice to me is proof enough of his allyship to harmful police rhetoric. Of course, proof also existed in his warning about Antifa and “radical” leftist groups (bc it’s radical in America to be anti-fascist or seek civil rights), his lack of comment on how police function as a tool of white supremacy, and his apparent belief that police are the most qualified to suppress the radical right (despite many police historically belonging to said radical right). <br/><br/>Regardless of my political opinions, it was still an interesting read if a bit unpolished in editing."

"Really amazing story about the first black detective to work in Colorado Springs in the 1970s that infiltrates the kkk. An incredibly true story. Thought I would add a little tidbit about the story otherwise people are gonna think I’m into kkk books. I wouldn’t be able to casually recommend this book unfortunately because of the cover photo heck even the name. The movie based on this story is directed by spike Lee and it’s really cool by the way."

"Ron Stallworth is an American hero, someone to look up to. Someone who dared to do something that hadn’t been done before. Let’s also not forget that he was the first African American to be hired in to the police academy in Colorado. He faced some prejudices within the precinct but most of what he would have to face was hate/disrespect from the community. He was able to hold his head high though and always maintain professionalism in the face of bigotry. <br/><br/>Ron sees an ad in the local paper from the chapter of the KKK recruiting new members and he decides to give them a call. He makes a mockery out of the entire organization while never once being detected showing them as the clowns they are. He successfully infiltrated the Klan and throughout his entire investigation not a single cross burning took place in Colorado Springs. This was the highlight of his investigation.<br/><br/>Now the writing is not that exciting and it doesn’t do the craziness of this story that much justice. It reads as a police report which doesn’t make for a very thrilling read. He also likes to restate facts he has already made, multiple times. While reading, knowing it had been made in to a movie, I thought that this might be more entertaining as a film. I was right that it did. BUT the movie has a drastically different narrative than the book. A lot is added to make the point of the hate against blacks and the lengths white supremacists go through to show their superiority. If you want to watch it, go for it, just know it doesn’t entirely lie true with what you read in the book- which is a memoir from the actual person stating actual events. <br/><br/>Interesting story. Lackluster execution."