The Hate U Give

By: Angie Thomas

5/5 Movements

While The Hate U Give is an absolute masterpiece, it disheartens me that this post needs to be written 3 years after the book was published. I just want to write about how The Hate U Give changed who I am as a person.

I grew up in an extremely conservative area. While I've always read quite a bit, my books were suggested by predominantly white Republicans. This past year has been the first time I've read books that showcase other cultures and ways of life. Throughout my public school years, I was constantly recommended either classics or books with a white female lead looking for her prince charming. This is why I firmly believe books like That Hate U Give should be added to high school curriculums in lieu of outdated classics that only promote systematic racism.

I will admit that before reading Angie Thomas' masterpiece, I didn't understand the Black Lives Matter movement. I was surrounded by the Blue Lives Matter or All Lives Matter narratives. I was told that by supporting BLM, you are supporting violence against others. I now see this is not the case. It wasn't until I moved to Boston that I slowly began to see my own ignorance; however, it was after a young adult literature class that I truly began to see how much I had willfully been ignoring.

I read That Hate U Give and immediately understood the need for Black Lives Matter. I understood why saying All Lives Matter not only was offensive, but completely ignores the lives that are at stake. Angie Thomas' writing allowed me to hear a voice that had been silenced in the community I grew up in. Her writing showed me that I wasn't thinking for myself, and that my silence was more hindering than helpful. She showed me that ignoring viewpoints and voices not only affects me, but affects those around me. Ignorance seems to be contagious and it is up to us to speak up about it. It is up to us to make a difference.

Angie Thomas taught me the importance of educating yourself. Her book taught me that there are more voices and viewpoints than that which we are raised by. She taught me that it's okay to admit your own ignorance, so long as you change it. I will still admit that reading one book does not mean I fully understand the struggle, but The Hate U Give has opened my eyes. It has showed me that I have more voices I need to listen to. It has showed me that silence aids the oppressor. While it feels like there's so little I can do, I now know that education and reading can make more changes than one might think.

Jason Reynold's Stamped is next on my to be read list. I am looking for even more recommendations to help educate myself.