Resources For White People In Regards To Race

Resources For White People In Regards To Race

The events all across the world have shown that there is a systematic problem occurring in the United States and one that is extremely uncomfortable to talk about. A lot of us (white people) are turning to our black friends for guidance. Many of them are emotionally drained and may not have the desire to do the work of educating you. That is emotional labor they don’t need right now. 

So, I’ve taken the time and done some of the research for you. Several of these books I’ve listened to myself (I do audiobooks), others I have researched. Please take a look at them and use the links provided for purchase. All of the links are from black-owned online bookstores. There is a more comprehensive list of shops online that I used down below. 

And as always, listen to your black friends. If they recommend something, post something, or try to have a conversation about something, listen. Shut up and listen. Because it isn’t your time to speak. It is your time to listen, learn, and better yourself. 

So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo 

This is a fantastic book on how to talk about racism, what it is in a given context, and provides conversations for everyone on how to deal with it. It gives you the language to use as an ally and explains why some terminology can be problematic. 

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, Michael Eric Dyson

This is written from the perspective of black Americans but the points are very important. It talks about why white people are very defensive over race issues and constructive engagement. Having that perspective is important in learning how to be a better ally. 

Black Labor, White Wealth by Dr. Claude Anderson

This book tracks the history of Jim Crow laws, slavery, and black labor used to build up the current establishment we now have. It gives an important historical context to the issues we face today. 

How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

How To Be An Antiracist is a great work on looking at yourself critically and examining your thoughts, words, and actions, and what we have to do to overcome them. It helps us find our place in building an antiracist society. 

Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller 

This is a children’s book, but it provides a very important point in this. Black people have their hair touched in many different ways daily, and most of it is non-consensual. Hair has long been used as a form of oppression and control, and that needs to stop. Honestly? This book is a great stepping stone for learning about the history of hair oppression and why it is problematic. Black hair is beautiful, but not for yours to touch. 

Further Reading: BB - How Does Black Hair Reflect History 

For Teachers: Decolonize your classroom! 

This is an important one and something that a lot of teachers, parents, and administrators don’t even realize is happening in their classrooms. The way classrooms and curriculum are set up is also a form of educational oppression. It does not accommodate for the racial differences in children, learning styles, home lives, or cultural values. If you’ve ever read the history of the Mayflower, slavery, the Trail of Tears, or Japanese Internment Camps in most curriculums, it is incredibly cringy. Teachers need to take responsibility and look with a critical eye at their classes, how they teach, and what visual signals they have that may be problematic. 

All links to these bookstores were found on AfroTech. Please follow the link and support those bookstores online. AfroTech is extremely informative and filled with a lot of resources. 

I highly encourage everyone to use the links provided or to shop at your local black-owned bookstores. It took a 5-minute google search to find these.