When I was younger, I thought I knew everything. (I’m sure some of y’all can relate.) Then, somewhere in my mid-twenties, I started reading more. The more I read, the more I realized how much I didn’t know. That realization didn’t discourage me-it sent me on a mission to learn more. Now, I want to know everything. I want to read books that challenge my assumptions and force me to question what I think I know. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in that pursuit is this: why were some stories simplified, incomplete, or missing important context in school? I remember in 8th grade my history book was literally called South Carolina. We learned about all the white men they told us built the state, and my 13-year-old self couldn’t help but wonder—did any Black people help build it too? And more importantly, there was no mention of how many of those white men owned enslaved people. Why leave that part out when you’re supposed to be teaching the history of a state? I also learned about th...