Press About Wake

“The premise of Wake, then, is that the evidence of the history of slavery lives everywhere except the archives whose responsibility it is, theoretically at least, to document that history…It pushes past the limits of what’s possible, to tell us a story that wasn’t but now can be.”—Los Angeles Review of Books

“Hall has written, and Martínez has illustrated, an inspired and inspiring defense of heroic women whose struggles could be fuel for a more just future.”—The Guardian

“…Hall has translated her academic research to a medium meant to reach the masses. She resurrects the stories of enslaved women whose resistance has long been excluded from history with the goal of inspiring activists fighting anti-Black racism today.”—NBC News

“Powerful…. Wake is operating in the wake of slavery, and in a state of being awake to the past, a process Hall frames as both devastating and grounding.”—New York Times

“Hall’s eloquence and frank emotionalism are transcendently realized in Martínez art, beckoning the reader inexorably into this story — even the parts that only take place inside Hall’s mind. With its remarkable blend of passion and fact, action and reflection, Wake sets a new standard for illustrating history.”—NPR

“Hall and Martinez deserve tremendous credit for their work in making this research accessible. Wake is a superb accomplishment on every level, and a book that every American needs to read.”—POPMATTERS

“A vividly illustrated account of Black women rebels that combines elements of memoir, archival research, and informed imaginings of its subjects’ lives…. An urgent, brilliant work of historical excavation.”—Kirkus, starred review

“Hall’s nuanced and affecting debut graphic narrative uncovers history that has either been assumed non-existent or rendered violently so by its almost complete erasure from official record…. The story follows Hall as she strives to write her dissertation on women-led slave revolts…. Hall’s singular look at these women, along with her own experiences and resilience, highlight how entwined the past and present really are. Martínez’s resonant black-and-white art cleverly integrates historical scenes into the present-day narrative.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Martínez’s dramatic woodcut-style illustrations are the perfect complement to Hall’s clear-eyed, impactful storytelling…A necessary corrective to violent erasure and a tribute to untold strength, this awe-inspiring collaboration should find a wide audience.”—Booklist, starred review

“This graphic novel format makes it easier to consume this history in a way just seeing the written words on the page alone would not. The art style is as raw as the history it explores and engaging throughout.”—Women of Color Read Too

“Wake…is a riveting combination of graphic memoir and inspirational scholarship.”—The Millions
“With a dynamic, personable, and aesthetically riveting interpretation of slave life- this upcoming graphic novel is changing the game in terms of historical fiction, playing with the bounds of genre and fact while informing of a force often looked besides in token recognition: The Black Revoltress.”—AfroPunk

“This book looks like a unique and accessible way to reframe everything we’ve been told about Black Atlantic history. By gaining a richer knowledge of history, we are better equipped to interpret our present and transform our future.”—Book Riot

“Historical texts that promise a “hidden history” should always go to the top of your to-read pile.”—SHONDALAND
“Heartbreaking yet triumphant, Hall’s vivid reconstructions bore laser-like into a history long hidden. Her engaged scholarship adds back facts that have been stricken from many histories, and it empowers current lives and activism.”—Library Journal

“Hall uses detailed research to evoke the often-erased history of women-led slave revolts while also telling her own story as she contends with the legacy of slavery in her life.”—ALTA

“Part historical reimagining, part graphic novel, and part memoir for the author, Wake is just as much about the research process as about the unearthing of facts and stories about the little-known women-led slave revolts.”—Fortune.com

“In graphic novel format, scholar activist Rebecca Hall provides an imperative and little-known history of revolts led by enslaved women.”—Ms. Magazine

“In “Wake,” Hall and Martínez show clearly what so many people feel — in the corners of our eyes, we see history.”—Real Change

Videos

ABC News: Untold History of Women-led Slave Revolts
NowThis: Dr. Rebecca Hall on Reparations, Juneteenth, Untold Stories of Black America
Comics Review: Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts

C-SPAN: Wake

But Some of us are brave

The Work of Rebecca Hall, JD, PhD

Press About Wake