Memoir of a Race Traitor

Fighting Racism in the American South

by Mab Segrest

Back in print after more than a decade, this is a singular chronicle of life at the forefront of antiracist activism, with a new introduction and afterword by the author.

In 1994, Mab Segrest first explained how she “had become a woman haunted by the dead.” Against a backdrop of nine generations of her family’s history, Segrest explored her experiences in the 1980s as a white lesbian organizing against a virulent far-right movement in North Carolina.

Memoir of a Race Traitor became a classic text of white antiracist practice. bell hooks called it a “courageous and daring [example of] the reality that political solidarity, forged in struggle, can exist across differences.” Adrienne Rich wrote that it was “a unique document and thoroughly fascinating.”

Juxtaposing childhood memories with contemporary events, Segrest described her journey into the heart of her culture, finally veering from its trajectory of violence toward hope and renewal. Now, amid our current national crisis driven by an increasingly apocalyptic white supremacist movement, Segrest returns with an updated edition of her classic book. With a new introduction and afterword that explore what has transpired with the far right since its publication, the book brings us into the age of Trump—and to what can and must be done.

Called “a true delight” and a “must-read” (Minnesota Review), Memoir of a Race Traitor is an inspiring and politically potent book.

REVIEW

4 out of 5

The south in the US is infamous for its racism and homophobia. As a white lesbian, Segrest decided to go against the grain and stand up against racism. There’s history woven in with the memoir, and exposes a lot of history that I’m sure many would like to keep buried. An interesting read overall, even if it felt a bit disjointed at times.

LEARN MORE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mabelle (“Mab) Massey Segrest is an American feminist, lesbian, writer, and activist.

Born in Alabama, Segrest received her Ph.D. in Modern British Literature from Duke University in 1979 and was appointed the Fuller-Matthai Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies at Connecticut College in 2004.

Segrest is often recognized for her efforts combatting sexism, racism, homophobia, classism, and other forms of oppression. She is credited by some as being one of the main forces that drove the Ku Klux Klan from North Carolina in the late 1980s.