Over the past several weeks, an increasingly number of White colleagues and friends have reached out to me inquiring how they can better support Black people. Specifically, they have asked where to donate monies, what to say to show support to their Black colleagues, and what books they should read. Of these, the latter has been among the most recurrent question I have been asked.
I preface this list with the notion that the Black Lives Matter movement, from my perspective as a Black man, is not only about issues of policing. Black people experience violence in all aspects of their lives. Certainly, Black people experience violence at the hands of law enforcement and those in positions of authority. The deaths of Eric Garner, George Floyd, Tony McDade and Sandra Bland demonstrate this. Yet, Black people also suffer from more subtle forms of violence through their constant mistreatment in healthcare, education, as well as business and industry. Given this, here are five books that every White ally should read on Black lives.
How to Be an AntiRacist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is regarded as one of the nation’s foremost scholars on racism and anti-racism. Kendi is the author of a number of books and recently announced that he is leaving American University to join the faculty at Boston University. In this book, Kendi shares elements of his own personal story with racism and addresses what it means for people to transition from being racist to anti-racist. In exploring these notions, he offers compelling ideas about concrete actions that must be taken to create a society that does not profit and benefit by exploiting Black peoples and communities. He draws in powerful metaphors about the similarities between cancer and the mistreatment of Black people in American society. The book can be found here.
Black Minds Matter: Realizing the Brilliance, Dignity, and Morality of Black Males in Education by Dr. J. Luke Wood
In the wake of the shooting death of Alfred Olango, an unarmed Black man in San Diego, Dr. J. Luke Wood and numerous colleagues offered a widely attended free online course called “Black Minds Matter.” The course focused on the relationship between the policing of Black lives and the schooling of Black minds, addressing topics such as the school to prison pipeline, over-placement in special education, and disproportionate suspensions and expulsions. Following the course Wood, who is a Distinguished Professor at San Diego State University, released a book encapsulating thoughts and themes from his lectures and personal stories about his own challenges as a Black male. The book offers a framework for educators who want to enhance their ability to serve Black boys and men in education. The book can be found here.
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
