A sharp and insightful analysis of historic movements against racism in the United States--from the separatism of Marcus Garvey, to the militancy of Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party, to the eloquence of Martin Luther King Jr. and much more--with essential lessons for today's struggles.

In the 40 years since the civil rights movement, many gains have been made--but there is still far to go to win genuine change. Here is a badly needed primer on the history and future of the struggle against racism.

Ahmed Shawki is the editor of the International Socialist Review. A member of the National Writers Union, he is also a contributor to The Struggle for Palestine (Haymarket). He lives in Chicago, Illinois.