The Klansman’s Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism

by R. Derek Black

From the former heir-apparent to white nationalism, The Klansman’s Son is an astonishing memoir of a childhood built on fear, of breaking from a community of hate.

Derek Black was raised to take over the white nationalist movement in the United States. Their father, Don Black, was a former Grand Wizard in the Ku Klux Klan and started Stormfront, the internet’s first white supremacist website—Derek built the kids’ page. David Duke, was also their close family friend and mentor. Racist hatred, though often wrapped up in respectability, was all Derek knew.

Then, while in college in 2013, Derek publicly renounced white nationalism and apologized for their actions and the suffering that they had caused. The majority of their family stopped speaking to them, and they disappeared into academia, convinced that they had done so much harm that there was no place for them in public life. But in 2016, as they watched the rise of Donald Trump, they immediately recognized what they were hearing—the spread and mainstreaming of the hate they had helped cultivate—and they knew that they couldn’t stay silent.

This is a thoughtful, insightful, and moving account of a singular life, with important lessons for our troubled times. Derek can trace a uniquely insider account of the rise of white nationalism, and how a child indoctrinated with hate can become an anti-racist adult. Few understand the ideology, motivations, or tactics of the white nationalist movement like Derek, and few have ever made so profound a change. When coded language and creeping authoritarianism spread the ideas of white nationalists, this is an essential book with a powerful voice.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Race, Politics, Audiobook, Psychology, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2024

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful, moving memoir that for me infuses our current political climate with the urgency required to change course. Noting my own reading experience in engaging with this story, I initially learned about Derek Black with the stunning work of journalism by Eli Saslow "Rising out of Hatred". In this memoir, I listened to the audiobook, which R. Derek Black narrates their own story. Both Eli Saslow's work and R. Derek Black's memoir focus on the personal experiences and broader affects of the White Nationalism movement.

There is no escaping one of the most worrisome conclusions of both works, White Nationalism has been mainstreamed into our political system. I encourage anyone to read "Rising out of Hatred" and I will do the same for the "The Klansman's Son".

[Madison ✨ (mad.lyreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the memoir of Derek Black, who is the child of the creator of Stormfront and the godchild of David Duke himself. It describes their life within the White Nationalist movement and their journey examining their views before eventually turning away from their family's beliefs.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE that while the title is The Klansman's SON, Derek goes by they/them! Thank you!

I read this book wanting a deep exploration into how one can go from one extreme to the other, and this book does have that. Black is extremely smart and is a great writer, and they do a fantastic job of explaining themself. Black's story is a particular one within the world of White Nationalism, because Black never found this area themself but was born and raised into it. Black never experienced the deep anger that so many white men feel that lead them to this movement, and the way Black writes their early life makes it feel like they never truly felt anger or hatred toward those different from themselves.

I believe, after reading this book, that Black is the exception in that they are not only extremely well educated but just overall passionately interested in learning. They begin their journey toward antiracism because a classmate begins challenging their beliefs by sending them research articles - something the average white nationalist would not be interested in reading. That all being said, I think Black's journey is incredibly interesting, particularly when they began examining how the arguments they were raised on begin making their way into everyday political conversations.

I hooked quickly into this book, and if the concept interests you, I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to Abrams Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything below is public information, so I don’t consider of spoilers. But if you think you’d rather wait to read my review until after you read the book, please stop here.

Such a sad and inspiring book. I learned a lot, and there were a couple of things that even e me scratch my head and laugh a little (like the line they draw between Naziism and space travel, which immediately made me wonder of all the world’s major billionaires were competing to get to space first on their personal rocket ships for a more sinister reason than the fact that they just have so much money that they might as well.

Recently, I saw something on Instagram that said the last Democrat white suprematists voted into office was LBJ because he had signed the 15th Amendment which gave Blacks the right to vote. When Black talks about who they backed in politics and why they didn’t support McCain, I remembered that post and wondered if it was true. If so, that gave me a touch of hope for the future. Assuming this current administration doesn’t destroy the Constitution or our systems of government, history shows that they are incapable of holding onto power indefinitely. I really hope whatever damage they inflict will wake up the rest of the country into doing what is right for the future.

Something else that made me laugh (besides the race to space thing) was that I realized I’d been giving Dumpy Trumpy way too much credit. I had thought he had been disgustingly smart to run populist campaigns by reaching out to the common citizen, which is something Democrats were terrible at. Turns out, all this time, he and MAGA were executing a playbook written by a ten-year old. Derek Black was the first one to build a white suprematist community website, record audio sessions that they uploaded to Skype every week, which eventually turned into a dedicated radio station with a weekly call in show. They were the social media and the podcasts before social media and podcasts became a mainstream source of news and communication.

The book also gives me hope for the MAGA friends in my life - that with loving discourse, they too might eventually see the importance of acceptance, equity, and allyship.

I’m still sad for them. Proud of their transformation but sad that they are estranged from their family. (Notice the pronouns here, which are also used in the book jacket - they/them - probably makes the distance between them and their family even greater, given egos supremacists are also horrible homophobic and transphobic.)

I’ve put this on my reread shelf. There is a lot of good antiracist information here to use as well.

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible journey written by a man whose entire childhood was an indoctrination into white "nationalism", by his family and his parent's friends. By the age of 9, Derek was pulled out of public school, because the students were not all white, and was home-schooled. He basically taught himself as there was no formal learning involved. He became isolated from the real world, only associating with kids from other white nationalist families. He started his own kids page on his father's WN website and started doing interviews at that age also, traveling with his father around the country to various WN events. He was the heir apparent to one of the top leaders of the movement.

Fast forward to his going away to college and becoming friends with people of all skin colors and religions. He struggles to keep his WN activities separate from who he is at school, but he's eventually found out. He struggles with how his WN activities, and the fact that he's never told anyone at school about it, will hurt his friends. He eventually meets someone who really tries to understand what he was taught about WN and scientifically dispels almost everything he was taught.

I was fascinated by his story, as I was not raised to be racist. It was very hard for me to understand how parents can teach their children hate, wrapped up in a "we're just trying to save ourselves " mentality. The story is somewhat bittersweet. It taught me a lot about the WN movement and how they try to stay relevant, how they recruit, and how they position themselves to non-violently take down people who don't agree with their views. It took a few chapters to get into the book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. #GoodreadsGiveaways

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was on my radar because I attended the same small liberal arts college that the author attended, around the same time. Derek is an engaging and thoughtful writer, explaining their experiences both intellectually and emotionally. I learned so much about the psychology and strategies of white nationalism, and noted how many of their talking points have become more mainstream with the rise of MAGA. I think one of the biggest take-aways is that white nationalists are often normal, even nice, people, and that the water we all swim in is white supremacism. “White supremacy is society’s undercurrent… is everywhere, and has to some extent touched every household with its insidious implication that White people have somehow earned their spot at the top of the social pecking order.”

This book is explicitly about politics, but it is also a coming-of-age memoir that shows how painful it is to question the beliefs we’re born into, and the often messy process of becoming our own people. It is also a story about “calling in” instead of “calling out” and how honesty, curiosity, and kindness around things that make us uncomfortable can create an environment of trust and vulnerability where people can take responsibility for harmful things they have done.

Highly recommend, and thankful that people like Allison and Derek exist.

[Brigid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I am just so tired of reading stories in which people who are part of hateful groups find redemption through loving someone who changes their mind and shows them the error of their ways. I wish there were more examples of people who do not need a pretty girl to make them see how much harm their ideology has caused. Overall though I do think this is an interesting book and a fairly good read. I wish there was more information on the details of why the author's viewpoints changed or what evidence or arguments changed their minds. That part is too vague.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start, the author of this book has come out as transgender, so any reference to the author will be done with she her pronouns.

This is a really really good story for anybody who has questions or doubts about the direction that our country has gone in terms of its relationship to white supremacy.

The talking points that black’s family used is basically exactly the same as the talking points that regular run of the mill Republicans are using today to justify themselves. If there’s any doubt in whether or not there has been an escalation in the last few years, this should assuage it. I found it to be a very informative book in that regard.

It also raises some interesting questions. Is it appropriate to isolate people who have bad beliefs if there seems like there is hope that they could change. Black was an active participant in white supremacist ideology, but was frequently very soft about it. While I traditionally have been somebody who believes in isolating these people, I think that this book makes a very good case for people with privilege to reach out and try to embrace and engage With folks who can potentially evolve.

I think that the part of the book that I disliked the most was that there is a lot of self-flagellation involved. Miss Black has definitely been through the wringer and has a lot to apologize for, but I also think that her sincerity is genuine and she spends a lot of time in this book acting like her shame isn’t good enough.

Sometimes this can get monotonous, boring and preachy, but it wasn’t enough for me to be put off by the book nor did it lead me to dismiss the overall point. I do think that she could be kinder to herself, and this took up a lot of time in the book that could otherwise be used to tell a story.

I spent a lot of time reading books about the radicalization and far right activists, and I really do think that this is great reading for antiracist and can serve as a really good stepping point for people who are on the fence or maybe not sure about where they stand politically. Loud and clear, the klansmans son dismisses any question that far right white nationalist beliefs, have absolutely infiltrated our society in a way that felt fringe before.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really value a book that provokes complex and nuanced thoughts which is why I highly recommend The Klansman's Son by Derek Black. Mr. Black was born into a family of white supremacists and was the godson of the former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke. As a child Mr. Black started Stormfront, a neo-Nazi internet forum which was one of the first websites that promoted racial hate.

In 2010, Mr. Black enrolled at the New College of Florida, one of the most liberal and progressive colleges in the US. He enrolled at New College to study medieval European history. Upon arriving at New College, Mr. Black befriended many students from diverse backgrounds including several Jewish students and students of color. Towards the end of his first year, his identity as a white supremacist was exposed and Mr. Black began a years-long process of grappling with the contradictions between his family, his new friends, and his own views. Over several years Mr. Black progresses from being a white supremacist to an anti-racist. He explains this revolution in his thinking in The Klansman's Son.

The publication of this book in mid-2024 comes at a very relevant moment with the current debates on free speech on college campuses, book bans and the 2024 US presidential election. College is a time that young adults challenge their views, and I really appreciated the honesty and vulnerability that Mr. Black shares about his personal experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Press for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Chloe Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest I am actually quite disappointed in this book. This is partly due to the fact that I had very high expectations. For years Rising Out of Hatred by Eli Saslow has been my favorite book, and the message he weaves through the beautiful narrative resonates with me so deeply and poignantly. In the years since the message has only gained relevance. That's why when I saw this book was slated to come out the e-arc instantly jumped the queue of my tbr. I always hesitate to leave a not-so-positive review, just because I cannot even imagine the physical and mental labor required for a book, but I really don't know if understanding this experience through Derek Black's perspective added anything to the message at all, even though it does paint a more complete picture of him as a person. I still very much believe in the power of conversation, especially those difficult moments of disagreement, vulnerability, discomfort, and even hurt.

I recommend Rising Out of Hatred over this, but thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're wondering why a madman can win the presidency, look no farther.

This memoir of a "racialist" who was groomed to take over his father's white nationalist organization that began in the early days of the internet and ballooned into being the biggest replacement for the KKK. There's much enlightenment about the messaging used that slips under the radar.

If you're a big fan of segregation based on "race," or you feel more like an "anti-racist," then this book is for you. Not necessarily to change anyone's mind, but to be honest about we're discussing.

Stunning!

[Agla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read that I would recommend. I would recommend reading Rising Out of Hatred first, it is basically the same story but with a slightly different POV. In this one, we are in the head of the person who went from being a White Nationalist to being antiracist, which is quite a journey. The most interesting was the notion of one's place in life/on earth, how we belong to groups, and how moving away from a group is costly. I won't spoil anything, just read it. Some parts could have been better edited, some paragraphs seemed a bit out of place, and some sentences weirdly constructed (I had to re-read some to get it). Otherwise, great book.

[Marcin W · Rating 2 out of 5]

read the wiki. skips all the uninteresting fluff.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up
I previously listened to, and greatly appreciated, the first book about R. Derek Black, Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist. Most of the story in this memoir is a re-hashing of the arc of that book, but told from a first-person perspective. I was largely interested in learning about this fascinating figure's recent coming out as trans (or, at least, "having a gender identity that falls under the trans umbrella"). Unfortunately, that aspect of their real life dramatic character arc isn't even mentioned until the very end, and only barely mentioned at that. The author doesn't even state their own preferred pronouns or how exactly they identify at the time of writing the book, which I took as an indication that their exploration of gender is still very fresh and they prudently chose to focus on things that had already come to pass rather than putting in ink things they are still figuring out.

Though I've never identified with any of the ideologies Black has since renounced, I could viscerally relate to some of the descriptions of even just bringing the subject up with people feeling "like trying to breathe underwater," and the very real fears that loom and grow when you know people in a social community you are part of are talking about you rather than to or with you, and that many of them are simply imagining the worst about you and wishing for violence upon you.

Books such as this are extremely important, as they reveal rare insights into the strategies, tactics, and psyches of organized right-wing bigots, and the psychological-emotional journey that is possible when compassion, reason, and human empathy are involved rather than knee-jerk reactions and popular one-liner rhetoric that tend toward punitive justice.

Unsurprisingly, Black is not as skilled of a writer as Eli Saslow, but hearing some of the personal details from their own voice adds weight and depth to my understanding of the whole narrative.

[Alyssa Chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

With how polarized our society has become, it’s no wonder people are prone to ostracizing each other due to differing beliefs, even more so if one party holds extreme views such as White nationalism. I often find myself wondering how or whether to engage with people who espouse far-right beliefs, as otherwise they are stuck in an echo chamber, surrounded only by those who reinforce their harmful views. The author was extremely lucky that they met friends in college who accepted them as just another person, with some being intentional about peacefully and gently challenging their White supremacist upbringing. However, that transition from White nationalist leader to antiracist wasn’t talked about in too much detail, so it seemed very sudden. I also didn’t hear a lot about Black’s White nationalist movement duties beyond managing Stormfront, and I wish they touched more about the responsibilities towards the movement they held in their young adult years.

[sameera]

this seriously is my man's (?) journey because i don't think this is helpful to read if you're questioning leaving white nationalist ideology. which is fine, like he explicitly states this is just his journey. this was less a good book for me in terms of showing the transition from white nationalism to anti-racism, but instead explaining the circumstances and ideologies that keep these people going. lowkey as a person of colour raised in a primarily non-white community, i had a hard time understanding antisemitism when it was first introduced to me because they just look like white people to me. white on white hate made zero sense. dear god, i appreciate this for the critical race theory. i was vaguely aware of it, but didn't realize how flimsy our notions of "race" are and so i will continue to put little stock into the idea. i also think that if we didn't lump white people together as a racial group, they are lowkey quite the mixed ethnic identity with least 8/10 white americans claiming 1/16 germanic, celtic, irish, scandinavian, and whatever else ancestry. my guys intermingled so hard they had to make new descriptors. in that note, nationalism is also a new concept, so we seriously had a moment where they simply needed some new terminology for that group identity.

moving on from talking about things i've thought about for a whole 10 minutes to something i thought about for 5, i lowkey think discrimination is like human nature because we be hating no matter what it is. so, like i'm not against personal racism because lowkey everyone i know has it, but the issue with my budz, the whites, becomes that they wield a little too much power with their particular flavour of discrimination. most of the ideas that the author states just seem like most fears a lot of different communities have when "outsiders" try infiltrating and then they're also perpetuated by a lack of knowledge around history, biology, and statistics (cause and correlation my guy, we mustn't forget the lurking variables). they then have too much lingering power and influence from colonial times for this to be equivalent to my local indian shop owner complaining about all the arabs clogging up the streets when he can't be affording to refuse their business. he fortunately doesn't have the clout for it be harmful to nearly the same extreme.

sidenote, the entire time the author talked about studying medieval history felt like he went a couple centuries too far back because my dude could have saved himself all that relearning with allison by studying the past 1-5 centuries in american history. but idk, why do that when it doesn't align with confirmation bias. BUT ALSO THE CONCEPT OF RACE WASN'T SOMETHING EVER DISCUSSED IN THE MIDDLE AGES SO WHY WOULD YOU THINK IT SUDDENLY BECAME A THING NOW? idk, i'm not a liberal arts major and i need to shut up talking about things i barely understand.

something i've thought even less about, i disliked some of the discussion from progressives on their school forum. like dudettes, do we not understand what the best cure to irrational hate is? because we certainly are acting like it. y'all aren't politically correct, ally, antiracists because you grew up in an echo chamber of racial homogeneity. you had to be exposed to different walks of people and realize stereotypes are simply stereotypes, not laws of the universe. like, this book should be good anecdotal evidence when he only started questioning when he went to college and met the types of people white nationalists demonized to go "oh i guess not all you people are the spawn of satan." education is not a war, it is an experience. i think that sentiment of "you vs me" is really bringing the downfall of american politics because neither side is willing to see the other as actual people that can change and instead as monsters with fixed beliefs that need to die, except for people that are explicitly and dangerously violent, that's some serious psychological issues i don't think are curable.

less me and bad politics, i think this book dragged a bit when he wouldn't give new context and just recapped and rehashed previously talked about and established relationships. like, i understand you and allison had a weird and rocky start, you don't need to remind me every time you talk about her. we literally went through this already. i know everyone thinks you're a nice guy and has this dissonance with your political beliefs. you don't have to keep trying to convince me, it just makes your claim weaker. really, just stuff like that irked me. he really needed to dive more into his life with the movement because sometimes i would forget what he actually did to help them because he spent so much time talking about his school life. i need more info about the psyche that went to give white nationalist speeches while having that multicultural friend group at school because that is some mental gymnastics that doesn't compute and is the most interesting part of his character. instead, i heard about this first date with allison sailing and how they slept in each other's beds whilst friends. i do not know what you want me to do with that information.

skinny, fedora-wearing, long-haired ginger really is the physical archetype i would have chosen for the right wing to lgbt extremes though, i cannot lie. apologies for the misgendering, if applicable. all i know is bestie identifies as trans and the book gave me no further information for pronouns. leaving that here as my stance that i'm not a hater, just that the gender identity was presented as he/him until like the last chapter. so apologies to them (i believe that is the correct one, don't come at me if i got it wrong). thx.

december 19, 2024

[Jon Koebrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir was a longer read and more intellectual than I expected. Black has had a remarkable personal journey from being the heir apparent leader of a movement to advocating against those ideas after honest and vigorous analysis and self examination. Kudos to Black for truly opening a closed mind and considering opposing views and the impact of one’s positions. This is a fairly heavy read and ultimately important and rewarding. Recommended for those wanting to truly think about the issues of white nationalism including how loyalty and belonging to family play through the equation of change. 4 stars.

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an incredibly informative book that's unfortunately all the more relevant today than it was on its recent publication. It could still do with some tightening up, which is why I can't bump it up to four stars. However, it's definitely an eye opening look into the White Nationalist movement.
Down from 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Abrams Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Jennifer Pruett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I finished this a few weeks ago, I waited to write this review until I heard the author speak about it recently. Adrienne (formerly Derek) Black grew up in a White Supremacist household (which they called White Nationalist), and was groomed from a young age to be a leader of the movement. Always a little different (a male child that loved having long hair), Derek went to a small, very progressive college in Florida (his home state) where close friends who were Jewish, Hispanic and immigrants eventually helped him renounce his family’s ideology and beliefs (and their relationship is now strained at best). Since the book came out, Derek has come out as transgender, using she/they pronouns. Quite an evolution.
While a fascinating story, I didn’t like the book and never would have finished it if I hadn’t signed up to hear the author. Although they were better speaking live than writing, this is a deeply self-absorbed person who goes round and round about their thoughts and history. Part of existing in public and the press as a boy and young man required side-stepping many difficult questions. Black still does this, focusing his answers on himself and a story he wants to tell, rather than really answering a question. I found the book sloppy - how can they be a PhD candidate in medieval history and write such poor footnotes? It should have been half its 293 pages (before footnotes and index).
It puzzles me why I cannot feel compassion for this person making this change and rejecting this ideology because they didn’t want to lose their family. Black constructed this bizarre belief system that allowed her/them to keep Jewish and nonwhite friends that she/they cared about completely separate from her/their beliefs that she/they acknowledged deeply hurt them and put them in difficult situations. I lost patience with Black going around in circles about this for years, even after knowing that she/they could no longer support the movement or its ideology. As one listener pointed out in the Q/A after the talk, the KKK was all about terrorizing and controlling blacks, yet Adrienne almost does not even mention black people in the book. That omission seems quite self-serving.
Again, interesting transformation but for such a unique person and situation that it does not provide many lessons for helping to interact with or change people who I feel have a destructive, violent and harmful ideology.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a terrific book. I loved listening to this young man’s story, and how he was able to change his entire belief system. The author of this book was very much involved in the white supremacist movement through his father. After attending community college, he was accepted at New College in Florida, a small public liberal arts college. ( this college has been in the news recently when Governor DeSantis basically fired the entire board and appointed a bunch of cronies in its place.). I’m sharing this because it becomes extremely relevant when you see the big picture after reading the book. I also listened to this book on Audible, and the author was also the narrator. I always find the book so much more credible when the author is actually reading it. I give this young man a lot of credit for being so vulnerable and sharing his story. it is my biggest hope that his story will help other young people caught up in white supremacist ideology, to be able to change and see the light.

[Todd Settimo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real page turner. All of life from birth to death is a pursuit of identity played out not only in our active questioning about life and our place in it, but also in the multitude of choices we make for ourselves and the relationships we keep and discard. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the author for sharing this very transparent and honest accounting of their pursuit of identity thus far through many fascinating twists and turns. No such journey is without its trials and tears and this story is no exception.

I found the book very informative about the white nationalist movement and a few of its main actors, one of whom is the godfather of the author, the one time Grand Wizard of the KKK, David Duke. One thing I kept coming back to again and again as I was reading this book was how often memories of dearly departed and beloved relatives and friends dimly, and sometimes not so dimly, echoed the toxic views of the people in the book. Looking at where we are in the world now, I feel we still have such a long way to go, but R. Derek Black’s highly self-aware account of their remarkable journey from avowed white nationalist to trans antiracist gives me hope for the rest of us.

[Jaclyn Gruenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Klansman's Son is a powerful and moving memoir about Derek Black’s upbringing in a prominent White Nationalist family (their father was the creator of StormFront, their mom’s ex husband is David Duke), and how they went from being a rising leader in this movement to becoming a vocal critic of White Supremacy and racism. Their account reveals how white supremacists are often not the outwardly evil caricatures we imagine, but rather polite, seemingly ordinary neighbors—people you’d never suspect.

Black is remarkably intelligent and a great writer, able to unpack complex emotions and beliefs with clarity. Despite their previous racist and antisemitic beliefs, it’s kind of hard to dislike them. Their journey is a testament to the power of empathy, education and curiosity. Most importantly, it’s a testament to the idea that changing your mind as you learn is not weakness—it’s growth. Sadly, many people struggle with this, equating change with admitting they’re wrong, and therefore never deviating from their beliefs. This memoir challenges that mindset and offers a hopeful look at the possibility of transformation.

**Note: while this book is called The Klansman’s Son, Black identifies as transgender. My review uses they/them pronouns to correctly identify Black.

[Sab]

DNF'd this after Charlie Kirk got popped lol. I wanted to read this because politically, the world is going a wee bit shit and I wanted a story with a glimmer of hope that these people can be changed. But the problem is, you still have to read about white supremacists. You still have to read about how they normalise their views and how they've been working from the same playbook for decades and people still get sucked in. And I realised I was irked that I was reading this story by someone who has denounced this ideology but never calls their father an outright racist. Like I get it, navigating family with hateful views is an Entire Thing. Maybe the author calls her dad racist later on. I dunno, I got a third of the way in and could feel something crawling down my spine everytime I picked this up, so it's time to be done

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black's courage and insight make this memoir powerful and eye-opening. Their thoughts, feelings, conflicts, and transition come through in a way only the person experiencing it can verbalize. This is a book everyone should read. Especially impactful is the idea they share that change will not come from simply listening to others. There must also be protests, denouncements, condemnations, and other uncomfortable actions. In the epilogue they say (in reference to the violence in Charlottesville), "I realized the most important thing was reminding everyone constantly that this is only a fringe movement if our institutions expel its ideology. White nationalist ideas aren't alien to our culture, as some people tried to claim in the aftermath of that moment. If they were, the rally would never have happened, and the president would never have defended it. White racism is baked into the fabric of our lives, and the most radical forms of it only remain marginal when we work constantly against it."

[Kris Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Reviewing this book as a Black Non-binary Queer person)

Reading this book in the wake of Donald Trump’s third run for president is surreal to me. I feel l’m more well informed of White Nationalism as someone who has been both directly and indirectly involved in antiracist movements. My grandfather is one of the people the author (who is also they/them) references (not by name), but through the political activism during the civil rights movement. My grandfather moved from Louisiana to Atlanta, Georgia as part of the civil rights movement. His name was Herbert Anderson Senior, and was shot at three times on a Louisiana College campus but survived with one bullet still lodged in his skull. The article read, “Students Wounded By Gunfire On La. Campus Two Negro graduate students were peppered about the face, arms and body by shot-gun pellets as they walked near two men's dormitories on the campus at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. The students were Louis Hadnott, 30, and Herbert Anderson, 25” (1953).

Reading Roland’s work has made me think about how organized religion has been used as a form of indoctrination not only in America, but around the world, specifically Christianity. Today, White Nationalism and Christianity go hand-in-hand with indoctrination even if the White Nationalist movement did not start out this way. During Roland’s childhood after being part of something they were told was their birthright, it was hard for them to leave the community they grew up with. As someone who also lost community upon coming out as well, I can relate to the feeling of loneliness and emptiness. As someone who is also Black in the south, leaving Christianity and coming out felt like an abandonment of my own community even after being indoctrinated with their perception of right vs. wrong. Going tol college turned that around for Roland as it did myself.

Roland also gave a new perspective that, as a Communications and Media Studies student, I could understand. Giving any oxygen to White Nationalism gives it more energy, which is showcased as Trump declares victory. It’s fascinating to see Roland shocked after leaving the White Nationalist movement to see Trump run and win off of the same rhetoric he left. I, too, remember that day and hope that upon writing this the day before elections that I do not have to worry again. Roland liek many who go to college, find themselves and ironically on the liberal side of things. While I know it was not Roland’s idea to leave the movement, I appreciate the friends they made did keep trying to leave the door open and educate them on their ignorance. I, also, had to break free from my own form of indoctrination too. While Roland and I are different races coming from different ideological spawn points, I recognize the want to get away leave your indoctrination behind. It is hard due to the fact you know you will loss so much: family, friends, community, purpose, and belonging. I have lost so much mysself even though I wasn’t leaving White Nationalism.

Some points of the book are eye opening as the dog whistling and blatant knowledge that, for example, police would protect them at their conferences was wild. What I had read regarding the sanitization of white supremacy under the guise of Pat Buchanan was wild in 1992 at the RNC. He stated, “Block by block, my friends, we must take back our cities, and take back our culture, and take back our country.” Sounds familiar? It should be since this is essentially what Trump is preaching right now for re-election. White nationalists see the change to the world around them as a threat to their existence and really their way of life. From Europe’s dissolution of colonies to apartheid ending, white nationalists are frightened of the “loss” they believe they are experiencing. This does not mean we need to accept this nor stand for it. We need to be able to have open dialouge to help people not feel so tied to a movement because of the shame they have. Sometimes people realize they are wrong and want to leave but stay as they already feel ostricized. What do we do if we are not open to try and leave a proverbial door open to talk to these people and help them transition to a better moral ground. A better concept of living life with all kinds of fabulous people. We shoudl still be careful and not let our gaurd completely down; we just need to make space for when they are ready to leave and leave toxicity at the door. There was one Black man I watched on a Ted Talk that left space to visit Klan rally’s, made friends with the main leader, and turned them away from White Nationalism and Supremacy. This is not for everyone to do or practice, but consider who people are indoctrinated in their own upbringing and try to leave room for understanding. Sometimes we just need to help open their eyes and let them know you can change, and it’s ok to change. After all, Roland wa so deep in their bullshit that it took a very long time to have someone help, provide resources, and even take the time to provide a safe space to eductae them on the harm they were doing. Contrary to popular belief some people really just don’t know.

Kamala 2024!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Eli Saslow’s book after hearing him and Derek on the With Friends Like These podcast and I was in awe of how someone so deeply entrenched in white nationalism… David Duke’s own godchild, could change their world view. So when I found out they had written their own memoir, I had to pick it up. The book did not disappoint. Derek is an inspiration to me and I truly believe that if they can change, anyone can.

[Katie Avagliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways this feels like such a personal book to me. I started teaching “Rising Out of Hatred” in the Fall of 2021 (?) to my first year college writing classes and have taught it on and off ever since. Classes from New Jersey, Maryland, and Florida have had to present on the contents. My students read it last semester. In many ways Derek’s story has become wrapped up in my own teaching journey as I honed my classes to be more explicitly about misinformation and the power to persuade people out of political conspiracies.

It was actually one of my students who mentioned that Derek was writing their own book, and I immediately pre-ordered the copy. I was hoping to teach it in tandem with “Rising Out of Hatred.”

(I actually drew little hearts on the page when Derek mentioned marrying Allison. Over the years my students have posited that “Rising Out of Hatred” is a love story, and when I taught in Baltimore my class was very close to stalking Allison at her workplace to demand answers (they were enthusiastic internet sleuths but it did lead to a good class discussion about expectations of privacy.))

All this to say that I don’t know if I will be using either this narrative or “Rising Out of Hatred” next semester. While getting Derek’s perspective is interesting and important in many ways I think “Rising Out of Hatred” js a better tool for understanding context. What I was hoping for from Derek was an update, perhaps on his anti-racist work or more explicit ideas about how WN has worked its way into Republican politics. Instead it was almost all inferiority and self-explaining. Which is very interesting for me! Derek had been such a focus of my teaching for so long that it’s like getting an update on Harry Potter’s feelings while facing down Voldemort. But I’m not sure how this narrative will translate to a wider audience.

I think if I do return to Saslow’s narrative I will supplement it with excerpts from this book, but since they cover basically the exact same ground I think I will continue to recommend Saslow as a tool for understanding.

[Mary Sriracha · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unflinching and candid look at Derek Black's past and how they got away from it. Really great stuff!

[Mia Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still thinking about this book a day after finishing. A fascinating and thought-provoking read that adds something new to the conversation about extremism.

How do you reason with someone whose views are so entrenched in disinformation? I think many of us find ourselves asking this question. Black's book offers their personal experience with this very conundrum.

[Lenore Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read. I remember seeing this guy and his father on Oprah. The book makes it plain that hatred is taught, yet can be unlearned, as well. Worth the time.

[Fawn Ponzar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished in one day if that tells you anything! A book like this is incredibly important. I wish I could force so many in this country to actively listen to the experiences of a man changed.