5 Anti Racist Books You Should Be Reading Now
Image Credit - Sarah Dahir
It’s been months since our country and the world at large were shaken by the murder of George Flloyd. Oprah bought billboards throughout Kentucky with Breonna Taylor’s face on it demanding justice for her murder. And most recently, the Kenosha Wisconsin shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed from the waist down. As many people have taken to social media to stand for Jacob Blake’s justice, as well as sports teams going on strike in solidarity, many people have clapped back with Blake’s criminal record and arrest warrants. It couldn’t be clearer that our county is a nation divided.
As politics have convoluted the narrative of racism in America, one thing is certain; there has never been a more dehumanized people group than that of our black brothers and sisters. The events that have come to light through media in the last year are only the few that have been caught on video. There is no argument that justifies racist behavior in any state, country, or world. It is absolutely unacceptable and what’s even more appalling is the implicit bias that lives in so many Americans that has been left unchecked and therefore undealt with.
You’ve most likely seen this list of books to read before, but it’s safe to say we could resurface this list twice a week and still wouldn’t be enough. All we can do is continue to do the deep work in ourselves and hold ourselves and those around us accountable to the work of being Anti-racist.
How To Be an Anti Racist - Ibram X. Kendi
The book discusses concepts of racism and Kendi's proposals for anti-racist individual actions and systemic changes. Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.
Me and My White Supremacy - Layla F Saad
Based on the viral Instagram challenge that captivated participants worldwide, Me and White Supremacy takes readers on a 28-day journey of how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.
White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.
I’m Still Here - Austin Channing Brown
Austin writes in breathtaking detail about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice. Her stories bear witness to the complexity of America’s social fabric—from Black Cleveland neighborhoods to private schools in the middle-class suburbs, from prison walls to the boardrooms at majority-white organizations.
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge
Examining everything from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, from whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge, and counter racism. Including a new afterword by the author, this is a searing, illuminating, absolutely necessary exploration of what it is to be a person of color in Britain today, and an essential handbook for anyone looking to understand how structural racism works.