importantly, to heal it. This book lays out a path to freedom and peace, first for individual readers, then for our culture as a whole. A must-read for everyone who cares about our country.”
Nancy Van Dyken, LP, LICSW, author of Everyday Narcissism
“At once disturbing, fascinating, and hopeful, this book provides a fresh new roadmap for personal and shared steps to eradicate racism and heal our nation. Very timely!”
Bill Eddy, lead author of Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder and co-author of Splitting America
Central Recovery Press (CRP) is committed to publishing exceptional materials addressing addiction treatment, recovery, and behavioral healthcare topics.
For more information, visit www.centralrecoverypress.com.
© 2017 by Resmaa Menakem
All rights reserved. Published 2017
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
Publisher: Central Recovery Press
3321 N. Buffalo Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89129
22 21 20 19 18 17 1 2 3 4 5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Menakem, Resmaa, author.
Title: My grandmother’s hands: racialized trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and bodies / Resmaa Menakem.
Description: Las Vegas, NV: Central Recovery Press, [2017]
Identifiers: LCCN 2017018669 (print) | LCCN 2017029917 (ebook) | ISBN 9781942094487 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: African Americans--Social conditions. | United States--Race relations. | Whites--Race identity--United States.
Classification: LCC E185.615 (ebook) | LCC E185.615 .M38 2017 (print) | DDC 305.896/073--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017018669
Author photo © by Nancy Wong. All rights reserved.
The descriptions of the anchoring practices in Chapter Twelve first appeared, in slightly different form, in the author’s book Rock the Boat, published by Hazelden Publishing. They are copyright © 2015 by Resmaa Menakem.
Every attempt has been made to contact copyright holders. If copyright holders have not been properly acknowledged, please contact us. Central Recovery Press will be happy to rectify the omission in future printings of this book.
Publisher’s Note: This book contains general information about racialized trauma, somatic healing methods, and related matters. The information is not medical advice. This book is not an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
Our books represent the experiences and opinions of their authors only. Every effort has been made to ensure that events, institutions, and statistics presented in our books as facts are accurate and up-to-date. To protect their privacy, the names of some of the people, places, and institutions in this book may have been changed.
Author’s Note: This book is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for psychotherapy from a qualified counselor. If you feel you can benefit from therapy, please consult a trained mental health professional.
Cover design by The Book Designers. Interior design by Sara Streifel, Think Creative Design.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I: Unarmed and Dismembered
Chapter 2 Black, White, Blue, and You
Chapter 3 Body to Body, Generation to Generation
Chapter 4 European Trauma and the Invention of Whiteness
Chapter 5 Assaulting the Black Heart
Chapter 6 Violating the Black Body
Chapter 7 The False Fragility of the White Body
Chapter 8 White-Body Supremacy and the Police Body
Chapter 9 Changing the World Begins with Your Body
Part II: Remembering Ourselves
Chapter 11 Settling and Safeguarding Your Body
Chapter 12 The Wisdom of Clean Pain
