First of all, this post is for white people; I am a white woman and cannot speak to the experiences of BIPOC, nor do I aim to. I want to address other white readers and call you to action, encourage you to read more widely, more purposefully. White people come from a place of privilege; we need to use it to do good, to make change. I cannot hope to do this topic justice. There are many people who are more articulate than I and more knowledgeable. However, I feel that I need to try. If you want more information, use google and/or check out social media. There are many wonderful activists who can point you in the right direction.

The tragic murder of George Floyd was a wake up call for me. I was not nearly as educated about the reality of racism in the US today for black people. I knew it was a problem, sure, but not how pervasive and what forms systemic racism takes. I still am not educated enough. That’s why I’ve been adding books about systemic racism, as well as anti-racism, to my TBR. I recently finished The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, which was eye-opening for me. Very well written and researched, it details the state of the criminal justice system in the US today–how unjust it is and how it is prejudiced in its very core towards people of color. It also talks about the war on drugs specifically, and how it’s racist and its profound negative impact. I also read So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, which is a great introduction to confronting your own privilege and having difficult conversations about race.

It’s not enough to read about these topics. Action must be taken as well: protesting, supporting organizations fighting for change and justice (such as Black Visions Collective, The Loveland Foundation, and Reclaim the Block among many others), signing petitions, raising awareness, uplifting black voices, supporting black businesses (such as bookstores and Etsy shops), voting, calling politicians, and so many other things. Seek out organizations that fight for change in your own community–there are plenty!

I also want to point out that reading fiction by BIPOC authors is very important. Did you know that people who read fiction were found to be more empathetic? The best way to learn about the perspectives of those who are different from us is to read them. There is no other way to be so intimately acquainted with the experiences of others, what they go through, what they think and feel. Isn’t that why we like reading in the first place? It’s really easy to find books by talented authors of color. There’s no excuse for not doing so–all you need to find them is google. I’m trying to read more books by POC authors and it’s been a great experience so far. You’ll see plenty of my picks in my recommendations!

Now for the list; these are some of the books I have chosen. There are many options, and you can make your own informed decision about what to read.

  1. How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
  2. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
  3. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad
  4. Reproductive Injustice: Racism, Pregnancy, and Premature Birth by Dána-Ain Davis
  5. Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-Create Race in the Twenty-First Century by Dorothy Roberts
  6. Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman
  7. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
  8. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney C. Cooper
  9. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
  10. The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist

I’m going to leave you with ten, but there are far more than that. Check out Ibram X. Kendi’s reading lists about racism and anti-racism here and here. The lists have some overlap but are different enough that you should look at both.