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In The Wake

Three-Sentence Summary

"In the Wake" by Christina Sharpe is a critical examination of the enduring impact and legacy of slavery on Black life, which she describes as living in the 'wake' of a ‘ship’ – a metaphor for the slave trade.
Sharpe introduces us to the concept of “wake work,” which involves consciously living with and through the afterlife of slavery, asserting that black lives are still profoundly shaped by this traumatic history.
Through an analysis of contemporary art, literature, film, and other cultural artifacts, she illustrates how these narratives can simultaneously bear witness to and resist this ongoing violence.

Extended Summary

"In The Wake: On Blackness and Being" by Christina Sharpe is an exploration of the enduring impact of slavery on contemporary black life. Sharpe employs various metaphors related to water, ship and wake to analyze how the Atlantic slave trade has left a lasting mark on African diaspora. The ‘wake’ here refers both to the path that a ship leaves behind in water as well as state of vigil kept beside a dead body – revealing how black individuals continue to navigate through a world shaped by slavery’s traumatic history.

Sharpe introduces us to the concept of “wake work,” which involves consciously living with and acknowledging this past. She argues that it's not enough for Black people merely survive; they must actively engage with their history in order to truly live.

The book is divided into different sections each focusing on themes like "The Ship," "The Hold," and "The Weather." Each section uses personal stories, contemporary art pieces, literature, films etc., to dissect varied dimensions of black existence in relation to their past.

For instance, she discusses how images depicting police violence against Black individuals can be traced back to public executions during slave era. Similarly, she explores how black bodies continue to be devalued and objectified, drawing parallels between contemporary experiences and historical events.

Throughout the book, Sharpe emphasizes that understanding this history is integral to resisting ongoing racial violence. She encourages readers to keep 'waking' – staying alert and aware of these systemic injustices and their historical roots.

Key Points

"In The Wake" is an exploration of the enduring impact of slavery on contemporary black life, using metaphors related to ship, wake and water.
Sharpe introduces the concept of “wake work,” which involves consciously living with and acknowledging the traumatic past of slavery.
Through various cultural artifacts - art, literature, film etc., she illustrates how these narratives bear witness to and resist ongoing racial violence.

Who Should Read

"In the Wake" is a compelling read for individuals interested in understanding systemic racism from a historic perspective. It would particularly resonate with those who are interested in African American studies, history, sociology or cultural studies. Those seeking a deep dive into racial justice issues will also find it insightful.

About the Author

Christina Sharpe is a professor at York University in Toronto in the Department of Humanities. Her research interests include Black visual and performative cultures, Black feminist theories, Black queer studies and critical race studies. "In The Wake: On Blackness and Being" is one of her seminal works that has been widely acknowledged for its profound exploration of black existence.

Highlights

Racism, the engine that drives the ship of state’s national and imperial projects (“the American ship of state . . . the ark of the covenant that authorized both liberty and slavery”: DeLoughrey 2010, 53) cuts through all of our lives and deaths inside and outside the nation, in the wake of its purposeful flow. Location 248
(Opportunity: from the Latin Ob-, meaning “toward,” and portu(m), meaning “port”: What is opportunity in the wake, and how is opportunity always framed?) Location 259
Wake; the state of wakefulness; consciousness. Location 280
The history of capital is inextricable from the history of Atlantic chattel slavery. Location 294
Racism, the engine that drives the ship of state’s national and imperial projects (“the American ship of state . . . the ark of the covenant that authorized both liberty and slavery”: DeLoughrey 2010, 53) cuts through all of our lives and deaths inside and outside the nation, in the wake of its purposeful flow. Location 248
(Opportunity: from the Latin Ob-, meaning “toward,” and portu(m), meaning “port”: What is opportunity in the wake, and how is opportunity always framed?) Location 259
Wake; the state of wakefulness; consciousness. Location 280
The history of capital is inextricable from the history of Atlantic chattel slavery. Location 294