Conversations on Black Identity and White Supremacy in America: General Information

"Alicia Garza was an activist and organizer for more than a decade back in 2013 when her social media posts — along with the hashtag drafted and shared by her fellow activists Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometti — helped start what is now the global Black Lives Matter movement." NPR

A former teen rapper, she holds a BFA in creative writing from Belhaven University. Her award-winning, acclaimed debut novel, The Hate U Give, is a #1 New York Times bestseller and major motion picture from Fox 2000,

"Dr. April Baker-Bell is an Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and English Education in the Department of English and African American and African Studies program at Michigan State University. An emerging national and international leader in conversations on Black Language, her research interrogates the intersections of sociolinguistics, anti-black racism, and anti-racist pedagogies."

Dr. Bettina L. Love is an award-winning author and Associate Professor of Educational Theory & Practice at the University of Georgia. Dr. Love is one of the field’s most esteemed educational researchers in the area of Hip Hop education.

David Stovall , Ph.D. is Professor of African-American Studies and Criminology, Law & Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). His scholarship investigates three areas 1) Critical Race Theory, 2) the relationship between housing and education, and 3) the intersection of race, place and school

"Dr. Eve L. Ewing is a sociologist of education and a writer from Chicago. She is the author, most recently, of the poetry collection 1919 and the nonfiction work Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side. Her first book, the poetry collection Electric Arches, received awards from the American Library Association and the Poetry Society of America and was named one of the year's best books by NPR and the Chicago Tribune."

Educator. Author. Racial Literacy Advocate

"Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is a scholar who speaks to the black and blue in America"

"Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Her new book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together"

One of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist voices. He is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and the Founding Director of The Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University in Washington, DC.

"Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, has become a leading figure in narrative nonfiction, an interpreter of the human condition, and an impassioned voice for demonstrating how history can help us understand ourselves, our country, and our current era of upheaval."

James Baldwin Biography from WTTW, American Masters.

Writer of amazing books, who writes novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences, including Ghost, a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.

Celebrating her life and legacy.

"Michelle Alexander is a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer, advocate, legal scholar and author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness — the bestselling book that helped to transform the national debate on racial and criminal justice in the United States."

"N(ora). K. Jemisin is a New York Times-bestselling author of speculative fiction short stories and novels, who lives and writes in Brooklyn, NY. In 2018, she became the first author to win three Best Novel Hugos in a row for her Broken Earth trilogy. She has also won a Nebula Award, two Locus Awards, and a number of other honors.".

"An interdisciplinary scholar, her work explores how race and gender both impact and are impacted by popular culture, social history and political life in the United States."

"Octavia E. Butler was a renowned African American author who received a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work. Born in Pasadena in 1947, she was raised by her mother and her grandmother. She was the author of several award-winning novels including PARABLE OF THE SOWER (1993), which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (1995) winner of the Nebula Award for the best science fiction novel published that year. She was acclaimed for her lean prose, strong protagonists, and social observations in stories that range from the distant past to the far future."

"An award winning journalist, author, and podcaster. Her debut non-fiction book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, was published in June 2017 to critical acclaim."

"Tiffany Jewell is a Black biracial writer, twin sister, first generation American, cisgender mama, anti-bias antiracist (ABAR) educator, and consultant. She is the author of the #1 New York Times and #1 Indie Best Seller, This Book Is Anti-Racist, a book for young folks [and everyone] to support waking up, taking action, and doing the work of becoming antiracist."

Remembering Toni Morrison from The University of Texas Libraries’ Diversity Action Committee

These 32 American men, and their peers, are producing literature that is essential to how we understand our country and its place in the world right now.

"Changes to curriculum and grading policies can go a long way toward helping a school level the playing field for all students."

"A Where Change Started Action Guide"

"Some Practical Ideas for Confronting Curricular Bias"

"Teachers shaken by recent events and wondering how to work for change in our society and schools can start with these lesson plans, videos, and other resources."

"Yes, curriculum can be violent—whether you intend it or not. Here’s what it looks like and how you can avoid it." By Stephanie P. Jones in Issue 64, Spring 2020.
New name of organization beginning in 2021 is Learning for Justice

"We help students learn about hatred and bigotry so they can stop them from happening in the future."

Melinda D. Anderson, May 17, 2018. The Atlantic. (The library has a subscription to this journal)

From Cora Learning "The transition to online instruction and student services in response to COVID-19 presents a substantial challenge for most post-secondary institutions. Among the most pervasive challenges are issues with racial bias and racial microaggressions that serve to impede the student. "

"How do we know inclusive teaching is effective teaching?"

"For most teachers, leading classroom discussion on difficult topics is a perennial challenge. Part of the challenge lies in the fact that we never fully know which issues will be “hot buttons” for our students. Conversations can become heated very quickly, and before long, it can feel like the class is careening out of control. This guide seeks to help teachers feel more confident leading difficult dialogues by encouraging reflection on how such discussions connect with larger learning goals, and by providing specific strategies and resources that teachers can use to create more productive conversations in their classrooms."

A partnership between an all-black class in Memphis, Tennessee, and an all-white class in rural New Jersey has helped students bridge racial and cultural divides.

Dr. Ross is a professor of African-American studies.

PNAS August 20, 2019 116 (34) 16793-16798;

From Inside Higher Education

"James Baldwin's essay, ”A Talk to Teachers”(1963), argues that in order to meaningfully address the problem of racism in America students have to gain a greater consciousness and fight for equality. Baldwin backs this claim up with descriptions of his personal experience as well as evidence from history"

Teaching, a weekly newsletter from a team of Chronicle journalists.

"In an analysis of diversity and inclusion among those 300 programs in 2019, Nielsen found women, Native Americans and Latinx people were among the most underrepresented groups relative to their numbers in the general population."

"Two hundred fifty years of slavery. Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. Thirty-five years of racist housing policy. Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole."

"The procedural maneuver, long used by Senate minorities to block civil rights legislation, is now poised to stop democracy reforms supported by broad majorities. If the Senate is to be responsive to the popular will, the filibuster must go."

"The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."

"The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck at Cardozo School of Law, exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice"

Black people are being murdered and brutalized by police with near impunity. Act with us to end police brutality, demand racial justice, and defend our right to protest.

"Launched in December 2014 by the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies (CISPS), the #SayHerName campaign brings awareness to the often invisible names and stories of Black women and girls who have been victimized by racist police violence, and provides support to their families."

BLM is an affirmation & embrace of the resistance & resilience of Black people

We aim to center our work in healing and transformative justice principles, intentionally develop our organizations core “DNA” to ensure sustainability, and develop Minnesota’s emerging Black leadership to lead powerful campaigns.

The nation’s largest online racial justice organization

The Education for Liberation Network is a national coalition of teachers, community activists, researchers, youth and parents who believe a good education should teach people—particularly low-income youth and youth of color—how to understand and challenge the injustices their communities face.

"The Freedom to Learn Campaign IL (FTL) formed in March 2019 in response to Danville Correctional Center’s staff removing over 200 titles from the Education Justice Project’s (EJP) library at the prison. Many of the books that were removed focused on race and identity—such as and W.E.B. DuBois’s The Souls of Black Folk and the autobiography of Frederick Douglass. The book removal was a part of the Department of Correction’s growing practice of restricting access to reading materials in prison."

"This is a national movement to desegregate the conversation about race, started by Melissa DePino and Michelle Saahene, the women responsible for the viral video of two black men unjustly arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks."

"Our mission is to amplify George Floyd's story through organized community outreach, targeted educational programs, and intentional reform initiatives. We will challenge police brutality, promote social justice, and ensure the protection of civil rights is afforded to all people."

"We combine the best of grassroots organizing with legal expertise to radically transform policing and justice in America—and we want you on our team."

"Minnesota Youth Collective is an organization that centers leadership development of the new generation of movement leaders, leveraging electoral work and issue advocacy as tactics to create a more equitable and just state for all people."

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

"Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation."

We are dedicated to holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct in our communities.

"Race in America 2019 ~ Public has negative views of the country’s racial progress; more than half say Trump has made race relations worse"

"Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities and the culture at large."

Founded in 1981, Race Forward brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity.

An advocate for criminal justice reform and actively share resources and analysis of the ongoing crisis in policing in the U.S. An independent collective of nearly 2000.sociologists,

"Our mission here at Where Change Started is to inspire individual action and accountability so that each and every one us is equipped with the resources necessary to do our part in creating the world we believe in. You know why you need to be actively antiracist. It’s time to learn HOW."

"Learning about the dangers of systemic racism often leads people to ask: What can I do personally to make a difference?
Layla Saad, an East African, Arab, British, Black, Muslim woman living in Qatar, came up with an impressive answer — a 28-day process that she calls a "personal anti-racism tool" designed to teach those with white privilege how systemic racism works and how they can stop contributing to white supremacy in the world."

"“1619” is a New York Times audio series, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, that examines the long shadow of American slavery.

"From the author behind the bestselling Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, comes a podcast that takes the conversation a step further."

" Black Information Network is the first and only 24x7 comprehensive national audio Black News service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective."

"We're a multi-racial, multi-generational team of journalists fascinated by the overlapping themes of race, ethnicity and culture, how they play out in our lives and communities, and how all of this is shifting."

" GirlTrek's epic 21-day walking meditation to remember where we came from and to gather strength for the road ahead.We're celebrating one Black woman in history and using her story and lessons to help guide us through these uncertain times."

The podcast that brings intersectionality to life

"This Podcast features movement voices, stories, and strategies for racial justice. Co-hosts Chevon and Hiba give their unique takes on race and pop culture, and uplift narratives of hope, struggle, and joy, as we continue to build the momentum needed to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture. Build on your racial justice lens and get inspired to drive action by learning from organizational leaders and community activists."

"The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights launched “Pod for the Cause” podcast to expand the conversation on critical civil and human rights challenges of our day: census, justice reform, policing, education, fighting hate & bias, judicial nominations, fair courts, voting rights, media & tech, economic security, immigration, and human rights."

"DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with Sam Sinyangwe, Kaya Henderson and De’Ara Balenger. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color."

"Dubbed “the Black Carrie Bradshaw” by The Washington Post, Demetria L. Lucas is an award-winning author, journalist and media personality with an all-consuming obsession with modern relationships and a penchant for cultural commentary."

"Join Kid Fury and Crissle for their weekly podcast covering hip-hop and pop culture's most trying stars."

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly chat about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves."

From The Innocence Project "These powerful films, series, and podcasts cover a range of perspectives on what it means to be Black in America"

2500+ resources that can help you create change in your community. Explore the site or click to view our newest resources.

"The Anti-Racism Project seeks to educate participants about how institutionalized racism, internalized racism and white privilege feed oppression. This communal experience culminates in the development of concrete social action plans for racial justice. The Anti-Racism Project is meant to be life-changing; transforming community members into dedicated social change activists working to create a society that is truly egalitarian."

"United Shades of America' follows comedian and political provocateur W. Kamau Bell as he explores communities across America to understand the unique challenges they face."

"Abolitionist Teaching Network's mission is simple: develop and support educators to fight injustice within their schools and communities. Utilizing the intellectual work and direct action of Abolitionists in many forms, including community organizers, educators, parents, social workers, counselors, lawyers, therapists, artists, health care providers, and incarcerated folx, we will organize and take action for educational freedom.

Writer Alyssa Klein and activist and filmmaker Sarah Sophie Flicker have compiled lists of anti-racism resources for white people and parents to deepen their anti-racism work. This a current document of amazing resources.

"The field of journalism is rife with risks. Understanding rights, while balancing these risks, can make all the difference to citizen journalists and aspiring reporters."

daily news site where race matters, featuring award-winning in-depth reporting, news analysis, opinion and curation.

From Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

Documenting the Now responds to the public's use of social media for chronicling historically significant events as well as demand from scholars, students, and archivists, among others, seeking a user-friendly means of collecting and preserving this type of digital content

"...EmbraceRace has grown into a multiracial community of parents, teachers, experts, and other caring adults who support each other to meet the challenges that race poses to our children, families, and communities."

"Everything you need to know about the nationwide protests."

"P.R.I.D.E. stands for Positive Racial Identity Development In Early Education. Our goals are to: help young African American children develop a positive racial identity, support teachers and parents by building their racial knowledge, and raise awareness of the impact of race on young children. P.R.I.D.E. is a program within the Office of Child Development, which is part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education."

VIDA: Women in Literary Arts (VIDA) is a non-profit intersectional feminist literary organization dedicated to creating transparency surrounding gender imbalances and the lack of diversity in the literary landscape. VIDA also aims to amplify historically-marginalized voices, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); writers with disabilities; and queer, trans, and gender nonconforming individuals.

A Resource list from Sunshine Behavioral Health.

"The Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC) is a Chicago-based membership association of libraries, universities, museums, community/arts organizations, and other archival institutions. The BMRC’s mission is to connect all who seek to document, share, understand and preserve Black experiences. It is the vision of BMRC to be essential to promoting discovery, preservation, and use of Black historical collections."

Resources from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Resources from Berklee Library.

"Douglass Day is a holiday that began around the turn of the 20th century. After the passing of Frederick Douglass in 1895, Black communities across the U.S. gathered to celebrate his birthday every year on February 14th." The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

"This LibGuide is intended to provide resources to understand the structural inequities and systemic racism that have impacted BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) over generations. The stories and perspectives shared are by no means limited to this LibGuide. We encourage you to also visit other resources provided below to foster a better understanding."

"This guide is meant to be a starting point for those interested in learning more about anti-racism and how they can combat racism and white supremacy. As Northwestern is a predominantly white institution (PWI), some resources are for white people specifically, as we thought that group would be well-served from such a guide. The resources are by no means comprehensive, and some of the links below are links to lists of further resources. We've also tried to highlight resources that are free and have indicated multiple ways to access some resources (podcast apps, library links, web links, etc.)"

"After A Violent Winter, The 'Summer Of Soul' Was A Musical Moment Of Healing · A global gathering in music and words"

"Films are a great way to expose young kids to new ideas. Here are five films from The National Film Board of Canada that will help your kids break out of their bubble and experience worlds other than their own."

As globalization continues, how can teachers address the needs of students from a variety of cultural backgrounds and upbringings? This collection of videos introduces culturally responsive teaching, and includes some techniques that you can use to help students from diverse backgrounds succeed together.
By Keyana Stevens

The most important conversations are often also the most difficult to have! Learn how to start a constructive dialogue about race in your classroom with these tips and tricks.

"Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding."

"On Saturday May 30th filmmaker and photographer David Jones of David Jones Media felt compelled to go out and serve the community in some way. He decided to use his art to try and explain the events that were currently impacting our lives. On day two, Sunday the 31st, he activated his dear friend author Kimberly Jones to tag along and conduct interviews. During a moment of downtime he captured these powerful words from her and felt the world couldn’t wait for the full length documentary, they needed to hear them now."

Dayna Matthew, a leader in public health who focuses on racial disparities in health care, joined the Virginia faculty in 2017. She is the author of the book “Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care.”

Dr. April Baker-Bell
Associate Professor of Language, Literacy, and English Education,Department of English,African American and African Studies. Book Trailer

As nationwide protests over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are met with police brutality, John Oliver discusses how the histories of policing and white supremacy are intertwined, the roadblocks to fixing things, and some potential paths forward.

Featuring: Stephanie Cariaga, Bettina Love, Sagnicthe Salazar, Carla Shalaby, Marylin Zuniga
Facilitated by: Farima Pour-Khorshid and Chrissy A. Z. Hernandez

Trevor shares his thoughts on the killing of George Floyd, the protests in Minneapolis, the dominos of racial injustice and police brutality, and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again.