Systemic racism
Most of the famous figures and movements discussed in this book fought against systemic racism, in many of its forms all over the world. The economic policies that impact race relations, and the hope that ideologies like Marxism could improve these relations, is a major topic of the book.
Love as a revolutionary act
The book touches on MLK Jr's idea of how love is a necessary component of any revolution. He says that a truly liberatory movement is not possible without the “strength to love.” Bitterness must be replaced with love to give the oppressed the strength to keep fighting.
The Black Imagination
Possibly the main theme of this book is the power of Black imagination. Even in times of extreme duress and trauma, or perhaps especially in, the ability to have dreams of a better future are what inspire new generations to keep fighting for equality. The author's focus on surrealism and storytelling help to draw attention to this theme, and how something seemingly frivolous is an important piece of large-scale political movements.
Defining success of political movements
In most contexts, success is defined by what is achieved. Kelley argues, however, that if that measure is used almost no modern political movements would be considered successful. Even if small victories are won in policy decisions or community awareness, the major power structures that enable systemic racism are not changed. Instead, he argues that the success of a movement depends on how many it inspires to keep fighting for change in the future.
