Description
About the Book
Rev. Al Sharpton revisits the highlights of the Obama administration, the 2016 election, and Trump’s subsequent hold on the GOP, and draws on his decades-long experience with other key players in politics and activism. He also amplifies the new voices and movements that have emerged in response to the Trump presidency. An examination of the American soul and a clarion call to action offers lessons for anyone who’s stood at the crossroads of their personal or political life, weighing their choice of how to proceed.
Book Synopsis
NOW A NATIONAL BESTSELLER
“This man is a gift from God to the world. This book is a gift from Al Sharpton to us. Let’s appreciate them both.”–Michael Eric Dyson
Beginning with a foreword by Michael Eric Dyson and closing with Rev. Al Sharpton’s moving eulogy for George Floyd, Rise Up is a rousing call to action for our nation, drawing on lessons learned from Reverend Al Sharpton’s unique experience as a politician, television and radio host, and civil rights leader.
Rise Up offers timeless lessons for anyone who’s stood at the crossroads of their personal or political life, weighing their choices of how to proceed.
When the young Alfred Charles Sharpton told his mother he wanted to be a preacher, little did he know that his journey would also lead him to prominence as a politician, founder of the National Action Network, civil rights activist, and television and radio talk show host. His enduring ability and willingness to take on the political power structure makes him the preeminent voice for the modern era, a time unprecedented in its challenges.
In Rise Up, Reverend Sharpton revisits the highlights of the Obama administration, the 2016 election and Trump’s subsequent hold on the GOP, and draws on his decades-long experience with other key players in politics and activism, including Shirley Chisholm, Hillary Clinton, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and more.
The time has come to take a hard look at our collective failures and shortcomings and reclaim our core values in order to build a clear and just path forward for America. Our nation today stands at a crossroads–and change can’t wait.
“Full of history, honesty, and valuable suggestions, Rise Up should be a staple in every home, school and library as an essential primer on civil and political rights in America.”–Martin Luther King, III
“If you want to learn how to use your voice to change a nation, you should study closely this man–and this book.” –Van Jones
“My Bed-Stuy (do or die) brother has been at the forefront of our battles again and again. From way back in da way back to this present revolution the world is in now, Rev. has been about Black Lives Matter from the jump, also at a time when it was not the most popular or hip thing to be about. I look forward, standing next to him, to see, to witness this new energy, this new day that is about to be in these United States of America.”–Spike Lee
Review Quotes
“An ode to the Black lives lost to racial violence… his book shows readers how past and present struggles should guide Americans as they continue the fight for equality for all.” -People Magazine
“By sharing his own personal struggles and experiences, Sharpton offers inspirational lessons for today’s social justice activists and supporters of a just world–and for tomorrow’s.”–Booklist
“Don’t be surprised if this book sparks conversation and action.. Rise Up won’t let you down.” -The Washington Informer
“Rise Up… offers some great stories. That’s a lot of what you’ll get in this book, in fact: stories, and they mix in with Sharpton’s observations and thoughts so well that it’s easy to be lulled into the telling.” -Galveston Daily News
“[Rev. Al] Sharpton mounts an impassioned call for activism…A fervent message in hard times.” –Kirkus Reviews
“[An] impassioned survey of contemporary American politics… Sharpton makes a persuasive case that America has reached “a historical turning point that’s testing our moral character and endangering all we have fought to gain.” Liberals will be inspired by this well-informed call to action.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Reading Rise Up was an informative and motivational pleasure to absorb. Full of history, honesty, and valuable suggestions, Rise Up should be a staple in every home, school and library as an essential primer on civil and political rights in America. Rev. Sharpton addresses our nation’s original sin; explains why we can’t afford to be satisfied with creature comforts while others still suffer and offers solutions in the non-violent tradition of my father and others regarding where we go from here. I highly recommend Rise Up without reservation to anyone mature enough to read and grasp the necessity of living life with a heart full of love and devoid of racism.”
-Martin Luther King, III
“Reverend Sharpton has fought on the frontlines for civil rights for decades. As the events of 2020 have shown, that fight is far from over. In this inspiring, personal book, he shows us a path forward. If you want to learn how to use your voice to change a nation, you should study closely this man — and this book.”
–Van Jones
“My Bed-Stuy (do or die) brother has been at the forefront of our battles again and again. From way back in da way back to this present revolution the world is in now, Rev. has been about Black Lives Matter from the jump, also at a time when it was not the most popular or hip thing to be about. I look forward, standing next to him, to see, to witness this new energy, this new day that is about to be in these United States of America.”
–Spike Lee
“This man is a gift from God to the world. This book is a gift from Al Sharpton to us. Let’s appreciate them both.”–Michael Eric Dyson, from the Foreword
