“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”
For many people, learning how to be anti-racist begins with education. It begins with learning about where systemic racism and white supremacy come from, and how these systems impact BIPOC.
As English majors, we bring an incredible set of skills to the table when it comes to being anti-racist. We’re critical thinkers, we’re strong communicators, we’re voracious readers, and we must remember that we are uniquely positioned to speak up and share our beliefs, ideas, and experiences.
There are many resources that can help educate and empower you to become an anti-racist ally. And as you research, if you are planning to buy books on anti-racism (etc.), consider purchasing these books from Black-owned bookstores. There are several Black-owned bookstores throughout the United States.
Black Lives Matter.
Anti-Racist Reading Lists
“The Anti-Racist Reading List” via The Atlantic
“An Antiracist Reading List” via The New York Times
"7 Anti-Racist Books Recommended by Educators and Activists" vis The Strategist
“Fiction By Contemporary Black Authors About Navigating White Supremacy” via Electric Literature
“10 Books About Race Non-Black People Should Be Reading Right Now” via Refinery29
“Do the work: an anti-racist reading list” via The Guardian
“‘No reader is too young to start’: anti-racist books for all children and teens” via The Guardian
“A History of Race and Racism in America, in 24 Chapters” via The New York Times
"13 Books You Should Read About Black Lives" via The Cut
"10 Nonfiction Books on Why We Need to Defund the Police" via Electric Literature
"5 Books About Black Movements & Systemic Racism in America" via Book Riot
“11 Children's Books To Teach Your Kids About Racism And Discrimination" via Essence
“An Essential Anti-Racist Reading List" via Vogue
"How to Be an Antiracist: Audiobook Picks" via libro.fm
"17 New YA Books by Black Authors to Support—Now and Always" via Epic Reads
"23 Phenomenal Young Adult Books By Black Authors From The First Half Of 2020" via Buzzfeed
“31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance" via Embrace Race
For further reading:
"The FBI's War on Black-Owned Bookstores" via The Atlantic
"Inside historic black bookstores' fight for survival against the COVID-19 pandemic" via USA Today
"Black-owned Bookstores See Waves of Support" via Shelf Awareness
Black-Owned Bookstores
"Black-Owned Bookstores to Support Right Now (and Always)" via libro.fm
“12 Black-Owned Bookstores You Can Support Right Now” via Buzz Feed News
“The Black-Owned Bookstores You Should Be Supporting Right Now” via Refinery29
"You can order today from these black-owned independent bookstores." via Literary Hub
"16 Black-Owned Bookstores To Shop From Today And Every Day" via Elle
"Black-Owned Bookstores to Support Now" via Publishers Weekly
"50 In 50: Black-Owned Bookstores Across America" via Travel Noire
"54 Black-Owned Bookstores That Need Our Support" via Epic Reads
"Black-Owned Bookstores to Support" via HarperCollins Publishers
More From Black Writers
“Black Authors Discuss Being Black in America" via Electric Literature
“Leah Johnson Didn’t See Herself in YA Novels, so She Wrote Her Own" via Electric Literature
"24 New and Forthcoming Books That Celebrate Black Lives" via Electric Literature
"14 Incredible Books to Read When You Need a Dose of Black Girl Magic" via Epic Reads
"57 Children’s Books Featuring Black Protagonists" via HarperCollins Publishers
"Shop Queer Books From Black=Owned Bookstores, Part 1" via LGBTQ Reads
You can order Jane Mount’s “Anti Racism” art featured on this mug and this print via IdealBookshelf.com, and all profits will be donated to Equal Justice initiative.
You can also find a list of all of the books featured (and links to each of them) here.
Read more here:
Searching for your first full-time job can feel like a futile endeavor. Unemployment makes you vulnerable and it’s easy to jump at anything that bites. When you finally do receive an offer, negotiating for more money can feel out of the question, or may not even cross your mind. But you should absolutely try to negotiate for more money! We decided to break the ice on this taboo topic by reaching out to our readers for some real-world advice. Read on to find out how they approached their salary negotiations, and what the results were!