On the weekends I compile links I love, gathering interesting reads and fun things from around the web and sharing them with you here. As protests and marches continue in my city of Louisville (home to Breonna Taylor) and throughout the United States, it doesn’t feel right to carry on with business as usual. Instead, today I’m sharing thoughtful anti-racism pieces and resources.
Change isn’t easy, but it is urgently necessary. In addition to reading and discussing many of the books and pieces referenced here and showing up in our community as we can, my own family has made donations to our community bail fund and to an anti-racism organization we’ve long supported, as well as made donations to Black candidates running for office (our state primary is coming up on June 23).
I’ve read so many wonderful pieces this week that seek to advance the cause of justice, equity, and anti-racism. If you’ve found an article or resource that has been particularly helpful to you, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it in comments.
My favorite finds from around the web:
- An Antiracist Reading List. “No one becomes ‘not racist,’ despite a tendency by Americans to identify themselves that way. We can only strive to be ‘antiracist’ on a daily basis, to continually rededicate ourselves to the lifelong task of overcoming our country’s racist heritage.”
- I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream: The Duty of the Black Writer During Times of American Unrest. Powerful essay.
- The Double Standard of the American Riot. “The philosophy of force and violence to obtain freedom has long been employed by white people and explicitly denied to black Americans.”
- I’m ordering this mug from The Next Question. Check out their web series while you’re over there.
- Warner Bros. makes Just Mercy available for free as education on ‘systemic racism.’ Watch the movie, read the book. (The print copy is temporarily out of stock in most places but you can try your local indie bookstore or get the ebook.)
- 10 Steps To Non-Optical Allyship. Practical and tangible action we can take.
- Why The Small Protests In Small Towns Across America Matter. “These protests cut across demographics and geographic spaces. They’re happening in places with little in the way of a protest tradition, in places with majority white population and majority black, and at an unprecedented scale. People who’ve watched and participated in the Black Lives Matter movement since 2015 say that this time feels different. And the prevalence of these small protests is one of many reasons why.”
- Donate to the National Bail Fund Network in your community or around the country. (This TED talk explains why bail funds matter, and why they’re so effective.)
- Five Racist Anti-Racism Responses “Good” White Women Give to Viral Posts & The Only Kind of Response That’s Acceptable. “We don’t get a prize for being willing to talk about racism.”
68 comments
Thank you for this, Anne.
Thank you for this post!
When all you have is a hammer . . .
Everything is a nail.
Thank you for these links.
A couple books on sale right now about race issues: White Awake by Daniel Hill https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075MHP31F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y5PHNXB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also Amazon Prime has a great docuseries available right now, the Color of Compromise: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B083ZNVRBQ/ref=atv_hm_hom_1_c_iEgOEZ_3_3
On point, as usual, Anne. One of the best resource lists I’ve come across, yet. Thank you.
agree, this is a fantastic post and the resources are the best I’ve seen yet.
Thanks Anne, I love your page!!
I’m so glad you posted this list. I’m booking marking it so I can come back to
It later.
Has anyone here read Black Like Me (John Howard Griffin)? I read it just out of high school years ago and it made a huge impression on me!
I read that in high school as well. It was very memorable to me as well.
TX for posting your reply! I’m so glad someone else read it and remembers it.
I read it over 50 years ago. It does have an impact.
Thank you for posting these links. I especially appreciated the one on the importance of small town protests!
Thank you so much for these links.
Well done, Anne. Thank you!
I’d highly recommend Jemar Tisby’s Color of Compromise book and video series on Amazon. The audiobook version of his book is excellent.
Thank-you!!!!
One of my favorite websites for excellent perspectives, and a lot of resources for educators to help children process what is happening: https://www.tolerance.org
Thank you!
The Brown Bookshelf hosted a KidLit Rally for Black Lives on Thursday, June 4, featuring many of today’s most beloved children’s book authors and illustrators. The replay is available on their Facebook page, and well worth the time to watch it.
Do you contribute to the black owned businesses that got destroyed due to violent acts of the people you are so eager to bail out? Do you give a thought to the black law enforcement officers killed in the so-called protests? Do you have any thought to the content of the character of the black politicians you support, or do you just support them based on the color of their skin? Am I go to see links based on any of the above considerations?
Mari, Why are you judging before you have even viewed the links?
Because she made a big point of saying what she supports. So I am wondering if she gave any consideration to the questions I asked.
My husband is a black law enforcement officers and I am tired of white people thinking they are doing something wonderful and “anti-racist” when they help promote lawlessness in the black community by helping to set violent criminals free. When you contribute to a community bail fund, you don’t get to pick and choose who goes free. And you don’t control what they do next.
And you feel that is what is being promoted here? I don’t see anything about supporting lawlessness. I commend your husband, he has an extremely difficult job.
It feels like you are expecting the worst from the people on this website. People want to do better. They are trying to do better.
The right to bail is part of the American judicial system. Like many things, it is not perfect but what is the alternative?
I am sorry for even starting this thread. I should just know when to shut up and take my Internet browsing elsewhere. Anne has a right to post whatever she wants to post. My apologies for erroneous suppositions. I actually do appreciate her book recommendations even if I don’t always appreciate the point of view for her links. It’s been a rough week, but there’s no excuse for discourtesy. Again I apologize.
Mari- I hope Anne responds directly to you in a private message. I think it’s the only way to clear up misconceptions. I think so h my any of us are trying to figure out place in all this upheaval and how to start change.
Mari, I thank your husband for his service. Your passion is evident here. The bail fund here has been in existence for nearly a decade now; we have supported our local fund (here in Louisville KY) since we learned of its existence and we are comfortable with their procedures. I am not as knowledgeable when it comes to the heartbreak and tragedy unfolding all over the country; our efforts have been focused on our local community here, on our specific circumstances here in Louisville and corresponding courses of action.
I just want to note that bail is something a judge sets. It doesn’t mean anyone “goes free,” it means the person (who has not been convicted of anything and is still innocent until proven guilty) can work on their legal defense outside of jail while they await trial. If someone is accused of a violent crime and considered a danger to society, the judge has the right to deny bail. But too often our judicial system punishes people living in poverty. It often forces them to plead guilty to crimes they didn’t commit because they can’t afford bail and can’t afford to be away from their job and family for the duration of a trial. How fit someone is to await trial at home shouldn’t be based on how much money they have. That’s what bail funds are created to address.
With you 100 percent. Praying for your husband to be safe! Tell your husband we appreciate what he does.
Thank you for today’s post!
Well done! And these articles have great links withing them. I went down several rabbit holes. Thank you, Anne!
Oh good grief. “Within”* them.
Thanks Anne, for all the informative links! We have much work to do in our communities.
Thank you for your comments and links, Anne. I completely agree with you on all points. We have also focused on supporting local organizations we live, but this past Sunday, we decided to also donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center. They are committed to fighting bigotry and hate groups and promoting tolerance.
Hi Anne!
Thank you for the list and all of the links.
A fellow teacher posted this to our school email, and I thought it was really interesting.
http://www.blacklivesmattersyllabus.com/fall2016/
Thank you, Ann. Too many of these posts have comments by those who claim not to be racists but want a safe space to not think of the racism, (unlike those who don’t have that privilege) or want to mention someone else whose life matters (though nobody said it doesn’t and many say black lives don’t with their actions), or – well so many ways to say they are more offended by anti-racism than by racism. I’m pleased also that you mention anti-racism, because you know it’s not enough to not be a racist yourself. You must fight for others. Blessings.
I enjoy your blog posts to get away from the stresses of my everyday life and to find new books to read, however, occasionally, the posts do not make that happen. This week is one such instance, magnified by 1000. It has been a traumatic week for most people, regardless of the color of their skin, because when all is said and done, “All Lives Matter.” Black; White; Brown; Red; Yellow; etc.
Very disappointed to see this today on this post.
Celia, I don’t know that I ever verbalized it but I felt chaffed at Black Lives Matter when it first became a mantra because I, too, felt, well, ALL lives matter. A few things have helped me better understand over the last several years. If a friend tells me she has breast cancer and is asking for support in fighting breast cancer, I would never respond with “but ALL cancer matters!” I would support the fight at hand which is breast cancer while knowing we would like all types of cancer eradicated.
Similarly, the campaigns to Save the Rainforest (which I support) have never made me think those starting the campaigns think the other forests should not be saved. The rainforests are literally on fire and under attack due to deforestation and have been for many years so that is the issue at hand.
I’ve also realized that one of the privileges I have as a white person – not to be confused with being privileged in the way we usually think of privilege – is that I can ignore these things that make me uncomfortable and from which I want a reprieve. My black friends and coworkers don’t have the privilege of getting away from these stressors because this is their life. Every. Single. Day.
As a Christian, I believe all of us are precious to the Lord. In that sense, yes, all lives matter.
However, our country has, for centuries, repeatedly demonstrated through its laws and actions that that isn’t true. Slavery, Jim Crow laws, and systemic racism, often aided and abetted by people who claim to be Christians, have deeply harmed generations of black people.
So yes, black lives matter. I am grateful to Anne for compiling a list of links to help people like me learn to do and be better.
It is quite apparent now that all lives should matter, but all lives do not matter in real life. Reality does not meet our aspirations. We have to be honest and brave enough to admit that. When we know better, we can do better.
Thanks, Anne, for “doing” instead of just talking
Thank you for the links and inviting us to share. I appreciate the resources that others have contributed as well. When I am grappling with complex issues I crave context and several of the pieces provided me with thinking points I had not considered.
For those who are interested, here are two links that I’ve engaged with recently and found thought provoking.
George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show:
https://youtu.be/v4amCfVbA_c
Why Are Black Women and Girls Still an Afterthought in our Outrage Over Police Violence?
https://time.com/5847970/police-brutality-black-women-girls/
Also, here is a link to some documentaries that I will be checking out (I am just sharing the link and am in no way encouraging anyone to support this site or purchase these resources for themselves).
https://www.peacecenter.org/events/magnolia-pictures
Love and blessings!
Thank you for using your platform, Anne. I’m a white person myself. Celia’s comment above made me think about what I learned this week when my usual sources of comfort, entertainment, and lighthearted education (like your blog!) no longer provided those things but instead held up a mirror that helped me reflect on how I can do better as an anti-racist and American.
At one point this week I caught myself thinking that I wished that things would go back to “normal” and I could go back to using instagram and blogs to help me wind down at the end of a busy day. That was a good learning moment for me. I don’t want to prioritize my own comfort over the basic human rights of Black Americans (like Breonna Taylor’s right to be able to sleep in her own bed without fear of death, or George Floyd’s right to complete a basic business transaction without fear of death). Not being able to look away has challenged me and helped me grow. Thanks again for this post.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
Thank you, Anne.
Thank you for using your platform and voice to share these links.
Your comment speaks to the truth of your immense white privildge. You can choose to just turn it off and return to you safe white space.
Apologies. My above comment was in reponse to Peggy’s.
Anne, thank you thank you for your post and for using your platform to spead justice.
I am working on my 2020 Reading Challenge. Had chosen one book for my “Book from the decade you were born”. This week has caused me to change to “The Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison published in 1952. I think it will be interesting to compare to today.
Hi Tanya,
That book is so powerful but not in an overt way. I still find myself, years after having read it, thinking about scenes and images in that book.
Thank you for the great information. I appreciate it. Here is a link I have found helpful and educational about anti-racism.
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://antiracismforbeginners.com/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;ust%3D1591449387189000&sa=D&ust=1591449387270000&usg=AFQjCNEP2uLA-b0mXkVS3jkXb6LNdQe3dA
Thank you for sharing this resource, Gloria. It is a great set of resources with helpful definitions, citing sources and giving recommended reading. Will definitely bookmark.
Wonderful post
Thank you for posting this and providing links to so much information. As readers, we are a community of thinking people and social justice for black lives should be foremost in our thoughts and actions.
Thank you, Anne.
I wanted to recommend a documentary that has been on HBO about the work of Bryan Stevenson. It isn’t the movie, it’s a documentary about him and his work. He is truly an American hero and the work is amazing on behalf of those that do not have a voice within the justice system. My husband and I watched it and my husband who does not say much about documentaries usually just quietly said, “There is one amazing man.” I would highly recommend it. The movie about him is good but the documentary is much more.
I also read anything by Ta-Nehisi Coates. He’s considered one of the best African-American writers, if not the best, of our time. He sometimes writes articles for The Atlantic. He can be controversial but that what’s I love about him – his honesty. But he has written books that are excellent.
I teach and I love the discussions with my students. They are so open and vocal about the need for change.
Thank you again for this post today.
Have you read Just Mercy? It’s so much better than the movie (like one of my favorite books of all time).
I agree Ashley. I don’t think I’ll ever forget how I felt when I was reading Just Mercy. It was (appropriately) difficult to read, but so, so worth it.
Hi, I thought you should also include “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison and “The Color of Water” by James McBride.
Both were meaningful to me. I also recently received a copy of “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” by David Blight which I plan to read soon.
I hope you would consider any of these as part of your list. (Which I am marking as “TBR”.
I love your podcast! Thank you for all your great recommendations.
One of the most uplifting things I have read in the last week is this letter from the Chief of Police in Alexandria VA to the police and citizens of that city. It gives me hope. https://www.alexandriava.gov/police/info/default.aspx?id=115657
Thank you for this post, Anne.
I really appreciate the Five Racist Anti-Racist Comments essay, and the black-owned bookstore list. I didn’t read everything here, but I trust you and so I am very grateful for the resources provided and I will come back to this. Thank you very much.
Thank you for posting this, Anne! These are very helpful links and your work is appreciated!
Thank you, Anne, for your thoughtful and measured posts on a very painful situation. And, as always, thank you for introducing me to so many great books!
Just read this article this morning – sobering, yet hopeful:
https://lithub.com/letter-from-minneapolis-why-the-rebellion-had-to-begin-here/
These are great resources Anne, thanks for sharing them! Bookmarking this so I can take them all in slowly.
Thank you Anne for all these great resources! A thoughtful and compassionate post as usual. 🙂
Can you include the works of Langston Hughes?