CKL Book Recs: Race and Racism

By no means am I an expert! I am simply an avid reader* and have decided to commit to learning about race and racism through educational books. In particular, I believe in the value of reading the perspectives of people of color. However, most of these books center on the Black experience in America, particularly female voices. There are other minority groups, and you should read books from those perspectives as well! This list is not the place for recommendations on that, though.

Books I’ve read and my quick take:

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Labeled as “required reading” by many. A short read, it’s an accessible starting place for hearing a Black man’s perspective on living in America).
• Americanah: A Novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (This is fiction, about a Nigerian woman who immigrates to the United States. In addition, she shares tons of insight about what it means to be “Black” in America.)
• The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter (Fair warning, this is dense reading. A deep dive into the origins of race as a social construct and an exploration of “whiteness” and its expansion throughout history to present day. Overall, includes tons of info about the history of the US that will likely shock you.)
• Rescuing Jesus: How People of Color, Women, and Queer Christians are Reclaiming Evangelicalism by Deborah Jian Lee (Consider this book to learn a different perspective on the church. Full disclosure: I had to return it to the library before I finished.)
• White Kids: Growing up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America by Margaret A. Hagerman (Another dense read; it’s an ethnographic study of various white families ranging from conservative to progressive. Additionally, she shares insights on what the parents hope they are conveying about race and what the children actually perceive and express.)
• This Will be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America by Morgan Jerkins (A collection of essays exploring her experience growing up as a black girl, sexuality, stereotypes black girls/women face, dating as a black woman, traveling as a black woman and more.)
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (IMO also “required reading” to understand a huge arm of oppression against Black and Brown people in the US.)
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (I have such a soft spot for young adult fiction. It’s such an approachable way to learn about hard topics. This is an easy read and helps to put a face and a family behind an all-too-common scenario.)
• Evicted by Matthew Desmond (Another dense read, discussing the intersections of race and poverty, although not all of the families discussed in this book are Black.)
• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Again, young adult fiction, and fantasy! My holy grail, haha! This book is important in the sense of representation within this genre…when was the last time you read a fantasy novel and every single character was Black?)
• Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou (Arguably one of the most influential Black American authors, I went through a phase of reading several of her books!)

On my list of “to read”:

• Raising White Kids: Bringing up Children in a Racially Unjust Society By Jennifer Harvey (I can’t remember who recommended it, so I’m a bit hesitant to recommend it, since the man who wrote the forward also wrote a book that I do NOT recommend. Also, it’s written by a white woman. But, it’s one I’ve seen pop up so I’ve been meaning to check it out.)
• Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde (Lorde’s writing is foundational to the idea of intersectional feminism. This collection of essays tackles racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and class.)
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (Ties in with the New Jim Crow, as a detailed account of people experiencing injustice in the criminal justice system.)
• Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism (A look into systemic oppression of Black people in terms of housing. I don’t know if this is the best book on this topic, it’s just one I heard about.)
• Invisible Visits: Black Middle-Class Women in the American Healthcare System by Tina K. Sacks (The title is self-explanatory! I haven’t read it yet so can’t comment.)
• Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson (From Amazon, “Dyson argues that if we are to make real racial progress we must face difficult truths, including being honest about how black grievance has been ignored, dismissed, or discounted.”)
• Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet A. Washington (Recommended by Rachel Cargle; a deep dive into the systemic oppression of Black people in the healthcare industry in the US.)
• Guidebook to Relative Strangers by Camille T. Dungy (From Amazon, “a stunningly graceful and honest exploration of race, motherhood, and history.”)
• Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin (Because of my work with Whole Mamas, I’m committed to learning about other mothers’ experiences.)
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Another one many label as “required reading.”)
• We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood by Dani McClain (From Amazon, ” first-time mother Dani McClain sets out to understand how to raise her daughter in what she, as a black woman, knows to be an unjust–even hostile–society.)
• Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do (Issues of Our Time) by Claude M. Steele (from Amazon, ” He sheds new light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays out a plan for mitigating these “stereotype threats” and reshaping American identities.)
• Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church by Barbara A. Holmes

Books I’ve read and DO NOT recommend based on their centering of Whiteness (aka, avoid these titles, IMO):

• White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

• White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo

  *In the words of one of my favorite podcasters and all around boss, Aminatou Sow: “Read a book! I’m not smarter than you…I know nothing but I know *where* to find information. Stop asking people to teach you things. Get on Al Gore’s internet. Go to your local library. Go to your local book store. Read a book and save your own life. The world is changing. We are gonna leave you behind in the dust if you don’t do your homework.”

  Find more of my book recommendations on my site or on my Pinterest!

  Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for clicking through from here so that I can make a few pennies in compensation for the work I did in putting together this post! However, if it’s possible, I encourage you to purchase from Black-owned bookstores.