A review of Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Revolution in These Times (Brooklyn & Philadelphia: Common Notions, 2025).
Revolution in These Times is a collection of conversations on Black Power Media with Black Panther Party veteran Dhoruba Bin Wahad. As a COINTELPRO victim, Bin Wahad was incarcerated for nineteen years (1971–1990). After his release from prison, he continued to be an important voice in the Black Liberation and Pan-African struggle. Most of the conversations included in this book were hosted by the editor, Kalonji Jama Changa, but there are also some group discussions.
Common Notions, the publisher, put together a neat edition, including a useful glossary and “list of figures” as well as an introduction (“Remember the Panther Resistance”) by Joy James and a stunning cover by Josh MacPhee.
Revolution in These Times is a great example of oral history, combining personal anecdote with political reflection. There’s also a humorous note, which doesn’t hurt. It’s an engaging and inspiring read, touching on subjects from the revolutionary movements and antiimperialist resistance of the 1960s to current debates about abolitionism and defunding the police. The “ideals of justice, equality, and liberation for all” are always at the center.
As a white fellow who grew up in the Austrian Alps, I will not comment on what Bin Wahad has to say about Barack Obama, Alice Walker, or Black Lives Matter, but I chuckled at Bernie Sanders being called a “sheepdog” (they even have mountains in Vermont).
We shouldn’t get stuck in identity, though. While much of what Bin Wahad has to say is based on specific historical settings and experiences and ought not be judged by those who have not shared them, themes of social justice, collective liberation, and revolutionary organizing are universal. This is exemplified by many statements included in the book. The following are but two fairly random examples:
“Without a revolutionary culture, it’s impossible to carry forward a revolutionary movement or a revolutionary struggle.”
“We don’t have organizations that address all of these facets of our community and come together with a strategic program and a strategic plan to empower our community and take control of the institutions.”
I’m a steadfast believer in revolutionaries of all stripes needing to learn from revolutionary traditions of all stripes, not only because of allyship and the need for broad coalitions but also because their own struggle will benefit from the acquired wisdom of others, their perspectives, and critical exchange. At its core, oppression looks very similar wherever it occurs, and oppressors have shared similar techniques and strategies across the ages and continents. In turn, those who resist have a lot to learn from each other, even if their starting points, the options they have, and the risks they are forced to take differ significantly. Take the example of COINTELPRO, which – unsurprisingly – is a recurring theme in the book: COINTELPRO targeted many communities, pretty much anyone rebelling against the US political and economic order in the 1960s. To meet such repression effectively, sharing ideas with everyone affected is crucial.
I hope that Revolution in These Times finds the wide readership it deserves.
Gabriel Kuhn
(July 31, 2025)