Justice, Black History, Systemic Racism Books

Inspired and in shock too about the amount of learning I have and want to undertake, so that I can help correct the wrongs and various forms of oppression and inequity in the US. Where I have lacked formal education in these matters, I have to date also not historically chosen to invest in research and to learn on my own the history and the lived experience of oppressed people of this nation. I have to learn to see the structural ‘architectures’ (polices, laws, institutions) that prevent improvement. I have to do something. Humbled, I share for others to also learn along with me.

Levels of Racism: A Theoretic Framework and a Gardener’s Tale – American Journal of Public Health, 2000. Useful allegory that will make it easier for you to interpret the various types of responses to improve the racism situation.

How Racism Shaped My Habits – a black software engineer recounts his lived experience of being black while a student, while driving, and while being a passenger in someone else’s car.

Under the Blacklight: Say Her Name- Telling Stories of State Violence and Public Silence – this is a two hour long moderated panel of family members of women who have been killed unjustly by police (June 2020). We do not hear enough about these cases, and this is wrong. Listen to the pain and fatigue in these women’s voices as the continue day after day to be heard and to effect change. Highly recommend to get ‘into their shoes’ so to speak.

Justice in June – An action plan for your education, specific, with many links. Includes actions to take, not just reading and watching. Allows you to pick links for learning by the amount of time you want to spend each day. This is a google doc which may take some time to load.

Systems That Protect the Police – June 2, 2020 – 30 minute podcast. It was eye-opening and shocking to hear the reporter here say (paraphrased): it is not a given that Chauvin will be convicted – 5 reasons are given to show that Police Protection is entrenched architecturally.

BlackPast – An incredible resource of no less than 6000 pages – by an organization whose mission it is to “provide information to the general public on African American history and the history of more than one billion people of African ancestry around the world”.

Anti-racism For Beginners – A Google Doc of resources (may take time to load)

What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege Lori Lakin Hutcherson, written in 2016

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man – 9 minute video on Instagram.

James Baldwin Youtube Playlist – Excellent reflections. A prolific author and speaker, James spent much of his life in France.

On Dismantling Racism in Organizations – and the Challenging White Supremacy website it is hosted on is from 20 years ago, and could use an overhaul, but the topic is 100% salient today.

How white women’s “investment” in slavery has shaped America today Stephanie Jones-Roger

Brené Brown defines “White Privilege” 30 minute Facebook live video of Brené Brown just after the Charlottesville incident. Relevant now more than ever.

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Peggy McIntosh – a good list of ways in which privilege is experienced.

The White Person’s Guide to Supporting the Fight for Racial Justice During a Pandemic (5 Steps) – Grace Greene – June 1, 2020

5 Racist Anti-Racism Responses “Good” White Women Give to Viral Posts – exposing language that conflates/confuses your own experiences with that of others.

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice – many of these will be specific to the US, but some of the suggestions are just universally applicable. You may find duplicate book suggestions, and videos, and that’s ok too.

How the GI Bill’s Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans – intentional structural limits post WWII, some very very intentional. Much of this continues to this day.