Our conscientiousness has been once more awakened to the reality of racism and inequality in our country. This past week has been one of much personal and public reflection and the emotions stirred by that process of anger, sadness and helplessness. I think often about how children feel about what they are seeing and hearing right now and how difficult it is for parents, teachers and other adults to talk to our children about racism and the active opposition to it that is antiracism. One of the things that gives me hope are the words of Nelson Mandela,
“ No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his religion. People must learn to hate, and they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
---Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Think of the impact that a generation brought up with active antiracism, with the education and tools to change the way we see and treat each other could have in the world. There are so many beautiful and powerful voices in the authors of children’s and young adult books today that can be our resources to provide a path to opening hearts and minds to achieve a world of equality and love.
“If we understand how the tree works, how the trunk and roots are where the power lies, and how gravity is on our side, we can attack it, each of us with small axes, and change the face of the forest. So let’s learn all there is to know about the tree of racism. The root. The fruit. The sap and trunk. The nests built over time, the changing leaves. That way, your generation can finally, actively chop it down.”
― Jason Reynolds, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning
I am awed by the truth and beauty of this statement by author Jason Reynolds. This book is one of many that can and should be resources for all of us to help understand not just a history that may be different from the one we think we understand, but to look to a better future.
We have collected a list of books that begin with our youngest children, and progresses to young adults, all of which contain the voices of those that can speak from their knowledge and experiences to hopefully help all of us to better understand and to inspire us to be agents of change. Here are just a few from that list.
Antiracist Baby Board Book
By
Ibram X. Kendi, Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator)
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (Vashti Harrison)
By
Vashti Harrison
Dream Big, Little One (Vashti Harrison)
By
Vashti Harrison
Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X
By
Ilyasah Shabazz, AG Ford (Illustrator)
The Undefeated
By
Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis
By
Jabari Asim, E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book)
By
Carole Boston Weatherford, Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial Injustice
By
Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, Ann Hazzard
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
By
Carole Boston Weatherford, Ekua Holmes (Illustrator)
The Day You Begin
By
Jacqueline Woodson, Rafael López (Illustrator)
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters
By
Andrea Davis Pinkney, Stephen Alcorn (Illustrator)
Ruth and the Green Book
By
Gwen Strauss, Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)
Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness (Ordinary Terrible Things)
By
Anastasia Higginbotham
For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World
By
Michael W. Waters, Keisha Morris (Illustrator)
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
By
Jason Reynolds, Alexander Nabaum (Illustrator)
Black Brother, Black Brother
By
Jewell Parker Rhodes
Harbor Me
By
Jacqueline Woodson
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Ghost (Track #1)
By
Jason Reynolds
Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? (Who Was?)
By
Bonnie Bader, Who HQ, Elizabeth Wolf (Illustrator)
Brown Girl Dreaming
By
Jacqueline Woodson
Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice
By
Mahogany L. Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo, Olivia Gatwood, Theodore Taylor, III (Illustrator) , Jason Reynolds
Let's Talk About Race
By
Julius Lester, Karen Barbour (Illustrator)
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning
By
Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
The Hate U Give: A Printz Honor Winner
By
Angie Thomas, Amandla Stenberg
Long Way Down
By
Jason Reynolds
All American Boys
By
Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely
On the Come Up
By
Angie Thomas
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Out of Stock Indefinitely
Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration
By
Rose Brock, Angie Thomas, Jason Reynolds, Nicola Yoon, Marie Lu
