In an essay for the New York Times, acclaimed professor, award-winning author, and director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi dove into the topic of how to combat racism:
“No one becomes “not racist,” despite a tendency by Americans to identify themselves that way.
We can only strive to be “anti-racist” on a daily basis, to continually rededicate ourselves to the lifelong task of overcoming our country’s racist heritage.”
“No one becomes “not racist,” despite a tendency by Americans to identify themselves that way. We can only strive to be “anti-racist” on a daily basis, to continually rededicate ourselves to the lifelong task of overcoming our country’s racist heritage.
We learn early the racist notion that white people have more because they are more; that people of color have less because they are less. I had internalized this worldview by my high school graduation, seeing myself and my race as less than other people and blaming other blacks for racial inequities.
To build a nation of equal opportunity for everyone, we need to dismantle this spurious legacy of our common upbringing.”
In order to do this, we have to educate ourselves. We can learn about covert white supremacy, follow organizations leading the way for racial equity and justice, watch films, listen to podcasts, and read books.
This doesn’t need to be seen as a chore, but can instead be seen as an opportunity — an opportunity to better understand ourselves, love our neighbors, and become the change we wish to see.
This list was adapted from the Anti-racism Resources for White People Google Doc compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker & Alyssa Klein. Because the document was being shared by so many people so quickly, the link to the document from our viral post kept breaking. For those having problems accessing the document, we’ve pasted here.
Any resource additions made based on community feedback are indicated with a *. We’ve linked to Amazon for maximum accessibility, but if you’re able, please support local (Black-owned) bookshops by using Bookshop.org. Some links are affiliate links — 100% of commissions from this page during the month of June will be donated directly to organizations doing important work for racial justice and equality. (Here are the receipts) Leave a comment on Instagram if you have more recommendations.
Antiracism articles to read:
- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)
- Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement (Mentoring a New Generation of Activists)
- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)
- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine
- The Combahee River Collective Statement
- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)
- Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups developed by Craig Elliott PhD
- “Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?” by Courtney Martin (June 1, 2020)
- ”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh
- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)
Anti-racist podcasts for learning about racial justice & equality:
- 1619 (New York Times)
- About Race
- Code Switch (NPR)
- Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw
- Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
- Pod For The Cause from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
- Pod Save the People (Crooked Media)
- Seeing White
Best anti-racist books to read to learn about antiracism:
1. Anti-racist books for beginners:
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad (Bookshop.org)
- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (Bookshop.org)
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Bookshop.org)
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (Bookshop.org)
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Bookshop.org)
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (Bookshop.org)
- White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD (Bookshop.org)
- I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown* (Bookshop.org)
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD* (Bookshop.org)
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas* (Bookshop.org)
- A Kids Book About Racism*
- Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman (Bookshop.org)
2. Next level anti-racist books
- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins (Bookshop.org)
- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper (Bookshop.org)
- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (Bookshop.org)
- Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold (Bookshop.org)
- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock (Bookshop.org)
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde (Bookshop.org)
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (Bookshop.org)
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (Bookshop.org)
- The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs (Bookshop.org)
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (Bookshop.org)
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (Bookshop.org)
- This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga (Bookshop.org)
- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson (Bookshop.org)
Resources for white parents to raise antiracist children:
Books for Teaching Kids Antiracism:
- Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners: books for children and young adults
- @booksfordiversity on Instagram*
- A Kids Book About Racism*
- Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds* (Bookshop.org)
Anti-racist Podcasts for Parents to Learn About Antiracism:
- Parenting Forward podcast episode ‘Five Pandemic Parenting Lessons with Cindy Wang Brandt’
- Fare of the Free Child podcast
- Integrated Schools podcast episode “Raising White Kids with Jennifer Harvey”
Articles for Parents to Learn About Antiracism
- PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month
- Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup from Pretty Good
- The Conscious Kid: follow them on Instagram and consider signing up for their Patreon
Best films & TV series about the history of racial justice and equality:
- 13th (Ava DuVernay)
- American Son (Kenny Leon)
- Dear White People (Justin Simien)
- See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol)
- Selma (Ava DuVernay)
- When They See Us (Ava DuVernay)
- Blindspotting (Carlos López Estrada)
- If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins)
- The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.)
- King In The Wilderness
- True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality
- Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
- Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton)
- I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc)
- Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)
- Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu)
Racial justice organizations to follow on social media & donate to:
- Antiracism Center: Twitter
- Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Colorlines: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- The Conscious Kid: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Families Belong Together: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Muslim ARC*: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- RAICES: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- SisterSong: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- United We Dream: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Anti-racism videos to watch:
Watch: Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)
Watch: "How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion" | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlane Schools (18:26)
Quotes to read:
- Martin Luther King Jr quotes that go beyond “I have a dream”
- Bernice King quotes about hope, love, The Beloved Community, and MLK
- Coretta Scott King quotes about justice, the LGBTQ+ community, and her husband's legacy
- Rosa Parks quotes about activism and justice
- Bryan Stevenson quotes about justice and mercy
- The best quotes about activism
- The best quotes about justice
More antiracism resources to check out:
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Anti-Racism Project
- Jenna Arnold’s resources (books and people to follow)
- Rachel Ricketts’ anti-racism resources
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
- Save the Tears: White Woman’s Guide by Tatiana Mac
- Showing Up For Racial Justice’s educational toolkits
- The [White] Shift on Instagram
- “Why is this happening?” — an introduction to police brutality from 100 Year Hoodie
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