Booksology But on the other hand? This country has also always been a land of resistance, and the books below show how badly our ancestors fared in the fight against colonialism. Complete task #5 of the 2026 Read Harder Challenge and read a nonfiction book about resistance. May the example set be a guiding light.
A History of Protest Activities in the United States by Gloria J. Brown Marshall
Law professor Gloria J. Brown-Marshall describes 400 years of resistance in what is now known as the United States, starting with Native Americans resisting European invasion and ending with more recent efforts. Brown-Marshall uses legal documents, government documents, and archival materials to show new ways of thinking about protest and how each plays a role.
Hine Toa by Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku
When you look up books on queer history, you often get all the results about the United States. But queer resistance movements have occurred and continue to occur all over the world. This is the memoir of Ngāhuia Te Awekoutuku, a prominent Māori lesbian activist and academic. The film depicts her journey from growing up as a working-class girl from Pa to becoming a founding member of Nga Tamatoa and the Women’s and Gay Liberation Movement. Her experience of being refused entry to the United States in 1972 because she was a lesbian led to the formation of some of New Zealand’s first gay liberation groups. —Danica Ellis
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Show Me the Record: ACT UP New York Political History, 1987-1993, by Sarah Shulman.
Shulman spent 20 years covering the history of ACT UP and American AIDS activism. She shows how ACT UP has changed the world in just a few years. They had to start needle exchange programs, change the American health landscape, and protest to change the definition of AIDS to include women. Ultimately, Schulman shows how we are working from today’s AIDS treatment to the public’s understanding of the disease to this legendary organization.
Wake: The Hidden History of a Female-Led Slave Rebellion, by Rebecca Hall, illustrated by Hugo Martinez
Part memoir, part history lesson, wake The film follows Hall’s attempts to rediscover the many black women who fought back against their enslavers, while also grappling with the long-lasting effects of enslavement on her own family. —Irene Gonzalez
“Rest Is Resistance” by Tricia Hershey
Hershey’s basic perspective rest is resistance That is, grind culture, with its roots in a history of enslavement and colonization, was born out of white supremacy and capitalism. Unfortunately, this view makes frighteningly undeniable sense. With that in mind, she advocates rest as a destructive act that resists and undermines the extractive nature of grind culture. Hershey, the founder of Nap Ministry, is dedicated to using rest to break out of the fog of sleep deprivation. This book introduces readers to Hersey’s theory of rest as resistance, including ideas about how rest can provide space to dream and imagine outside the confines of grind culture. —Anne Mai E. Jansen
500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book: Revised and Expanded Edition by Gord Hill
when 500 years of indigenous resistance It was first published in 2010 and was considered groundbreaking. In this revised and expanded edition, this history of activism and resistance is stronger than ever. Writer and artist Gord Hill explores everything from the Spanish conquest of South America to the Oca crisis. This book, with its powerful illustrations, is a testament to the resilience of indigenous peoples. —River H. Kero
Climate is just the beginning by Michaela Roach
Michaela Roach’s second book brings the world of climate justice closer to young readers and brings a message of hope to children and teens who feel they can’t do anything to stop the climate crisis. Loach writes about her experiences as an activist and tells the story of the actions she has taken, from participating in protests to taking the British government to court. She also brings in the stories of other climate change activists to show young readers the work of others and inspire them to take action themselves. —Alice Nuttall
We Refuse: A Powerful History of Black Resistance by Kelly Carter Jackson
The average American public’s understanding of black American resistance seems to be reduced to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s willingness to do whatever it takes. Of course, the truth is more nuanced. The truth is that black American resistance has had moments of nonviolence and violence, including not just walking away but rebellion. Here, Jackson reshapes our understanding of this resistance, particularly with regard to the role black women played in it.
