Anti-racism Resources
Websites and Resource Lists
Blacklivesmatter.com - News, upcoming events, how to join in and where to donate
MovementForBlackLives.org - A space for Black organizations across the country to work together
EmbraceRace.org - Raising antiracist children. Book lists, webinars, articles, etc
Colorofchange.org - Online racial justice organization seeking to influence policy nationwide
Raceconscious.org - Raising Race Conscious Children - A resource to support adults on talking about race to children
Showing Up For Racial Justice - “SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals working to undermine white supremacy and to work for racial justice. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability.”
Pretty Good Design resources - See also their infographic with references to research papers on prejudice and implicit bias in children
Particles for Justice Resources - Includes self care information for Black people
Children's Community School Social Justice - Tips and approaches to parenting
Read Like A Rockstar - Offers educational products for teachers and parents as well as guides for talking about racism. Please see the following links below.
Upstander Strategies - Strategies on what to do if you witness racism
Racism Interruptions - Responses to racism comments
Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners - Able to browse books by age from preschool - teens
Embrace Race: 20 Picture Books for 2020: Readings to Embrace Race, Provide Solace & Do Good - Embraces different races, cultures, and religions
Here Wee Read- resource to help diversify your bookshelf with thousands of diverse and inclusive book recommendations for kids and adults
American Indians in Children’s Literature- Best books by or about American Indians and First Nations.
Follow on social media
Antiracist Parenting
The Conscious Kid: “The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization dedicated to reducing bias and promoting positive identity development in youth. We partner with organizations, children’s museums, schools, and families across the country to promote access to children’s books centering underrepresented and oppressed groups.” Follow @theconsciouskid on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
The Mom Psychologist, Dr. Jazmine McCoy: “Helping exhausted mamas understand + connect with their little ones.” Helping parents raise antiracist children. Follow @TheMomPsychologist on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Social Justice Parenting: “Speaker. Belonging Advocate. Cultural Coach for Moms. Creating space for belonging at home while raising children who create belonging in the world.” Follow @socialjusticeparenting on Facebook, Instagram
Dr. Ann-Louise T. Lockhart: “Parenting with purpose & grace. Parent Coach, Author, Speaker.” Pediatric psychologist Follow @dr.annlouise.lockhart on Instagram
First Name Basis: “Giving parents the tools they need to teach their children about race, religion, and culture.” Follow @First.Name.Basis on Facebook, Instagram
Moms Doing It Different: “Helping moms redefine generational parenting methods to create authentic connection with their children by taking a conscious approach to parenting.” Follow @momsdoingitdifferent on Instagram
Doing the work
Rachel Cargle: “Building an intellectual legacy through teaching, storytelling & critical discourse.” Saturday School is helpful for white people looking to understand and dismantle their prejudices and implicit bias. Follow @RachelCargle on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
The Great Unlearn: “A community of everyday human beings committed to curiosity for what is possible in the world. Monthly self paced syllabi curated by @rachel.cargle.” Follow @thegreatunlearn on Instagram
Layla F Saad: “NY Times & The Times bestselling author of #MeAndWhiteSupremacy. Host of the @goodancestorpodcast” Follow @LaylaFSaad on Instagram
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi: “Professor of History and International Relations and the Founding Director of the Anti-Racist Research and Policy Center at American University.” Follow @ibramxkendi on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
History Cool Kids: “History provides context to everything around you. Knowledge is Power.” Follow @historycoolkids on Instagram
Austin Channing Brown: “Writer and speaker on racial justice and Black dignity. Creator, Executive Producer and Co-Host of The Next Question.” Follow @Austinchanning on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Oh Happy Dani: “ I aim to create art and words that encourage faith, inspire justice, and guide good people through loving God and neighbor well.” Follow @ohhappydani on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Wall of Moms: “Mothers and Allies committing to protecting and advocating for all. We are with you.” Follow @wallofmoms on Instagram
Talk and Interviews
20 mins plus:
The Difference between being “not racist” and antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi - 50 min Ted Talk
Deconstruction White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo - 20 min
How to be an Antiracist - Aspen Ideas Festival - Interview with Ibram X. Kendi - 55 min
How to Talk to Young Children About Race and Inequality - ImaginED TV - 47 min
Parenting In Support of Black Lives: How to Build a Just Future for Kids - Commonwealth Club - 1 hour 20 min.
Sesame Street Racism Town Hall - CNN Part 1 is 21 min and Part 2 is 16 min
The Next Question - “The TNQ Show engages leading voices on critical topics of racial justice in America. Created by best-selling author Austin Channing Brown, Season 1 is now available featuring Nikole Hannah Jones, Andre Henry, Brené Brown, and more.” - 40-60 min long episodes
Roughly 15 mins or under:
How to Be a White Ally: How White Shame is Getting In The Way - The Mom Psychologist
How to Talk to Your Kids About Race - The Mom Psychologist
What You Need to Know About Raising Biracial Kids - The Mom Psychologist
Podcasts
Unlocking Us by Brene Brown- Brene and Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist - June 2nd
Unlocking Us by Brene Brown - Brene with Austin Channing Brown on I’m Still Here: Black
Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - June 9th
The Irish Times Women’s Podcast - Me and White Supremacy - interview with Layla F. Saad Episode 378 February 20, 2020 - Listen to more from Layal F. Saad on her podcast Good Ancestor Podcast
First Name Basis Podcast - How to talk to your children about racism - Episode 2:12 - Listen to more from Jasmine Bradshaw on her podcast First Name Basis Podcast
Common Sense Parent Trapped - Racism and Resilience Episode 6
NPR/ Fresh Air One Lawyer’s Fight For Young Blacks and ‘Just Mercy’ - Oct 20, 2014
Books for Adults
Please search in page for the following topics of interest: Black Author, Fiction, History, Memoir, POC Author, Raising Children, Terminology, Young Adult
How To Be An Antiracist - By Ibram X. Kendi
Spotlight: Black Author
“...Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.” - Amazon
Me And White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor- By Layla F. Saad
Spotlight: Black Author, Terminology
A 28-day self-reflection journey on our role with white supremacy. Layla Saad gives the reader language and examples to understanding racism in action.
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race- By Reni Eddo-Lodge
Spotlight: Black Author
“Examining everything from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, from whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge, and counter racism.” - Amazon
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism- By Robin Diangelo
A good book to start with on your antiracist journey as it challenges white people on their assumptions about race and racism. The book has had mixed reviews, which makes it an interesting one to read and discuss.
Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas In America- By Ibram X. Kendi
Spotlight: Black Author, History
A deeply researched history book that traces the roots of anti-black racism. Understanding history gives us the power to make changes.
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong- By James W. Loewen
Spotlight: History
“James W. Loewen brings history alive in all its complexity and ambiguity. Beginning with pre-Columbian history and ranging over characters and events as diverse as Reconstruction, Helen Keller, the first Thanksgiving, the My Lai massacre, 9/11, and the Iraq War.” - Amazon
Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America - By Jennifer Harvey
Spotlight: Raising Children
"Most white Americans didn't get from our own families the concrete teaching and modeling we needed to be active in the work of racial justice ourselves, let alone to feel equipped now to talk about race with and teach anti-racism to our children. There is so much we need to learn and it's urgent that we do so. But the good news is: we can," says Jennifer Harvey.
Indiebound San Mateo County Library
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - By Austin Channing Brown
Spotlight: Black Author, Memoir
“I’m Still Here is an illuminating look at how white, middle-class, Evangelicalism has participated in an era of rising racial hostility, inviting the reader to confront apathy, recognize God’s ongoing work in the world, and discover how blackness—if we let it—can save us all.” - Amazon
Indiebound San Mateo County Library
Between the World and Me - By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Spotlight: Black Author, Memoir, History
“Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder.” - Amazon
Indiebound San Mateo County Library Fresh Air Interview
Books for Young Adults
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix- By Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Spotlight: Black Author, History, Young Adult
“Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.” - Amazon
We highly recommend the audiobook. Each chapter is introduced by music and Jason Reynolds has a captivating voice.
Indiebound Audiobook at San Mateo County Library Interview with Trevor Noah
The Hate U Give- By Angie Thomas
Spotlight: Black Author, Fiction, Young Adult
“The Hate U Give is an important and timely novel that reflects the world today’s teens inhabit. Starr’s struggles create a complex character, and Thomas boldly tackles topics like racism, gangs, police violence, and interracial dating. This topical, necessary story is highly recommended for all libraries.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Indiebound San Mateo County Library
All American Boys- By Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Spotlight: Black Author, Fiction, Young Adult
“In this New York Times bestselling novel, two teens—one black, one white—grapple with the repercussions of a single violent act that leaves their school, their community, and, ultimately, the country bitterly divided by racial tension.” - Amazon
Indiebound San Mateo County Library
Internment- By Samira Ahmed
Spotlight: Fiction, POC Author, Young Adult
“Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens. With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the camp's Director and his guards. Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today.” - Amazon
Indiebound San Mateo County Library
Books for Children
Please search in page for the following topics: Biracial Family, Black Author, Black Main Character, Board Book, Diverse Characters, History, Indigenous Author, POC Author, Rhymes, Activism, Celebrating Differences
Antiracist Baby - By Ibram X. Kendi, Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Black Author, Black Main Character, Board book, Activism
Board book for children with 9 steps to raising an antiracist baby. Adult concepts are noted throughout the book and will need explanation; however, a good book for all ages including adults.
A is For Activist - By Innosanto Nagara
Spotlight: Board Book, Diverse Characters, POC Author, Rhymes, Activism
Age: Baby-7 years old
Rhythmic alphabet book with emphasis on social justice and taking action. “Wonderous World. Wondrous We. We cannot be Whole We cannot be free. Unless we delight in di-ver-si-ty!” Don’t forget to look for the cats throughout the book.
IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All- By Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, Carolyn Choi
Spotlight: Black Author, Diverse Characters, Activism
Age: 6-12 year olds; however, one review said her 3 year old loves the book
Nine characters proudly describe themselves in a wide range of topics, including physical abilities, economic status, gender expression, religion, race, culture, language, family structures and roles, and immigration status.
Counting On Community - By Innosanto Nagara
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Board Book, POC Author, Rhymes, Activism
Age: Baby-7 years old
Counting book 1-10 with emphasis on things to celebrate in a community. Don’t forget to look for the ducks throughout the book.
Say Something! - By Peter H. Reynolds
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Activism
Age: 4-8 years old
Empowers children to say something and not always with words. "If you see an empty lot... SAY SOMETHING by planting a seed and watching it bloom."
Hair Love - By Matthew A. Cherry, Vashti Harrison (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Black Author, Black Main Character, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair -- and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere.” - Amazon
Skin Like Mine- By LaTashia M. Perry
Spotlight: Black Author, Black Main Character, Celebrating Differences
Age: 1-12 years old
Fun easy to read book that celebrates diverse skin tones. Great book for beginner readers.
Hair Like Mine - By LaTashia M. Perry
Spotlight: Black Author, Black Main Character, Celebrating Differences
Age: 1-12 years old
“Hair Like Mine is a fun and easy read following a little girl who doesn't like that her naturally curly hair looks different from the other kids around her. On her quest to find someone with hair like hers, she soon realizes we are all unique and special in our own way.” - Amazon
The Colors of Us- By Karen Katz
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
Celebrates different skin tones with positive descriptions. As Lena walks through her neighborhood she notices all the different shades of skin tone, particularly different shades of brown skin tone.
We’re Different, We’re The Same (Sesame Street)- By Bobbi Kates, Joe Mathieu (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-7 years old
Celebrates differences and similarities, for example noses are shaped differently, but we all sniff and sneeze.
A is For All the Things You Are: A Joyful ABC Book - By Anna Forgerson Hindley, Nat'l Mus Afr Am Hist Culture, Keturah A. Bobo (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Board Book, Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: Baby-7 years old
Developed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this book celebrates differences and connections. Each letter has a word associated with the letter (G is for Grateful), an explanation of the word, and a question at the bottom of the page to spark conversation (What makes you feel grateful?).
All Are Welcome
By Alexandra Penfold, Suzanne Kaufman (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Rhymes, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where kids in patkas, hijabs, and yarmulkes play side-by-side with friends in baseball caps. A school where students grow and learn from each other's traditions and the whole community gathers to celebrate the Lunar New Year.” - Amazon
Diversity Ninja: An Anti-racist, Diverse Children’s Book About Racism and Prejudice, and Practicing Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality (Ninja Life Hacks)- By Mary Nhin, Jelena Stupar (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, POC Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-11 years old
“Find out what happens in this diverse, anti-racist book about overcoming prejudice and racism and practicing diversity, equality, and inclusion…The new children's book series, Ninja Life Hacks, was developed to help children learn valuable life skills. Fun, pint-size characters in comedic books easy enough for young readers, yet witty enough for adults.” - Amazon
YouTube- Author reads the book
What I Like About Me!: A Book Celebrating Differences- By Allia Zobel Nolan, Miki Sakamoto (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-5 years old
Celebrates differences from braces to hair texture with a mirror in the back to celebrate your little one’s difference.
Dreamers - By Yuyi Morales
Spotlight: POC Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“This lovingly-illustrated picture book memoir looks at the myriad gifts migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story about family. And it's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own strengths wherever we roam.” - Amazon
The Proudest Blue - A Story of Hijab and Family - By Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali Hatem Aly (Illustrator)
Spotlight: POC Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. It's the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it's her older sister Asiya's first day of hijab--a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong.” - Amazon
We Are Water Protectors- By Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Indigenous Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-6 years old
“When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth, and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.” - Amazon
Where Are You From?- By Yamile Saied Mendez and Jaime Kim (Illustrator)
Spotlight: POC Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“When a girl is asked where she’s from—where she’s really from—none of her answers seems to be the right one. Unsure about how to reply, she turns to her loving abuelo for help. He doesn’t give her the response she expects. She gets an even better one.” - Amazon
The Snowy Day - By Ezra Jack Keats
Spotlight: Black Main Character, Board Book, Celebrating Differences
Age: 2-5 years old
“The book is notable not only for its lovely artwork and tone, but also for its importance as a trailblazer. According to Horn Book magazine, The Snowy Day was "the very first full-color picture book to feature a small black hero"—yet another reason to add this classic to your shelves. It's as unique and special as a snowflake.” - Amazon
Bee-Bim Bop - By Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee (Illustrator)
Spotlight: POC Author, Rhymes, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-7 years old
“Bee-bim bop (the name translates as “mix-mix rice”) is a traditional Korean dish of rice topped, and then mixed, with meat and vegetables. In bouncy rhyming text, a hungry child tells about helping her mother make bee-bim bop: shopping, preparing ingredients, setting the table, and finally sitting down with her family to enjoy a favorite meal.” - Amazon
What Can You Do With A Paleta - By Carmen Tafolla and Magaly Morales (Illustrator)
Spotlight: POC Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-7 years old
“As she strolls through her barrio, a young girl introduces readers to the frozen, fruit-flavored treat that thrills Mexican and Mexican-American children.” - Amazon
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story - By Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Indigenous Author, Celebrating Differences
Age: 3-6 years old
“Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.” - Amazon
Peekaboo Morning - By Rachel Isadora
Spotlight: Black Main Character, Board Book, Celebrating Differences
Age: Baby-Preschool
“Join this sweet toddler in the morning fun, sharing words your baby can repeat and pictures your baby will recognize. Then find out what this toddler sees next. It could be you!” - Amazon
Ten, Nine, Eight - By Molly Bang
Spotlight: Black Main Character, Board Book, Rhymes, Celebrating Differences
Age: Baby-Preschool
“Acclaimed author Molly Bang shares the going-to-bed countdown in a loving family. “Ten small toes all washed and warm,” begins the story, and then young readers journey toward tuck-in time, counting down along with the story’s African-American father and daughter.” - Amazon
Children of the World - By Tessa Strickland, Kate DePalma, and David Dean
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: 5-8 years old
“How do other children live? What do they eat? What games do they play? How are we different? How are we alike? Innovative and inclusive, this award-winning book empowers young readers to learn about children around the globe and ponder their own place in it.” - Amazon
Let’s Celebrate! Special Days Around the World - By Kate DePalma and Martina Peluso (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Diverse Characters, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“Lyrical, sensory nonfiction text and vibrant illustrations invite readers to experience a child's-eye view of 13 special days around the world, such as the Spring Festival, Inti Raymi, Eid al-Fitr, Día de Muertos and the New Yam Festival. Includes a global festival calendar and educational notes about why we celebrate.” - Amazon
One Word from Sophia - By Jim Averbeck and Yasmeen Ismail (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Biracial family, Black Main Character, Celebrating Differences
Age: 4-8 years old
“Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.” - Amazon
Juneteenth - By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Drew Nelson, Mark Schroder (Illustrator)
Spotlight: Black Author, History
Age: 2nd-4th Grade
“Every year, people all over the United States come together on June 19th to celebrate the end of slavery. Join in the celebration of Juneteenth, a day to remember and honor freedom for all people.” - Amazon
Dream Big, Little One - By Vashti Harrison
Spotlight: Black Author, Board Book, History
Age: Baby- 3 years old
Features 18 trailblazing Black women from scientists to athletes with lovely illustrations of each woman.
Think Big, Little One - By Vashti Harrison
Spotlight: Black Author, Board Book, History
Age: Baby- 3 years old
Inspired by Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World, this board book highlights 18 remarkable women from around the world.
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World - By Vashti Harrison
Spotlight: Black Author, History
Age: 8-12 years old
21 inspirational stories of leading women from around the world. Includes stories of Fatima Al-Fihri, Frida Kahlo, Gyo Fujikawa, and many more.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History- By Vashti Harrison
Spotlight: Black Author, History
Age: 8-12 years old
Stories of 40 trailblazing Black women including Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Florence Joyner, and many more.
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History - By Vashti Harrison
Spotlight: Black Author, History
Age: 8-12 years old
Stories of remarkable Black men throughout history.
Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A. - By Arlisha Norwood
Spotlight: Black Author, History
Age: 8-12 years old
51 Inspiring Black heroes from Hatshepsut in 1458 BCE to Barack Obama.
Movies
Movies about the Black experience in America. Source: TheMomPsychologist
13th
“2016 American documentary by director Ava DuVernay. The film explores the ‘intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States;’ it is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix, YouTube
Related: 13th: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay. Available on Netflix
Fruitvale Station
“2013 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. It is Coogler's feature directorial debut and is based on the events leading to the death of Oscar Grant, a young man who was killed in 2009 by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle at the Fruitvale district station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in Oakland. The film stars Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant with Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray playing the two BART police officers involved in Grant's death, although their names were changed for the film. Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly and Octavia Spencer also star.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
“Television film directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne. It is based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Skloot and documents the story of Henrietta Lacks, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in the 1950s, and whose cancer cells (later known as HeLa) would change the course of cancer treatment. ” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
American Son
“An American drama film directed by Kenny Leon and starring Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee. The film is based on the Broadway play of the same name. On a stormy night in a Miami police station, Kendra Ellis-Connor is waiting for a report on the whereabouts of her son Jamal, who has suddenly disappeared. She asks for help from Officer Paul Larkin, a rookie cop who is unable to tell her anything about the incident, due to both protocol and a lack of knowledge of the incident, telling her that he has to wait for Lieutenant John Stokes, the AM shift liaison officer. Soon, her estranged husband, FBI agent Scott Connor, arrives at the station and demands to know where Jamal is.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix
Slavery By Another Name
“Slavery by Another Name is a 90-minute documentary that challenges one of Americans’ most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipation Proclamation. The film tells how even as chattel slavery came to an end in the South in 1865, thousands of African Americans were pulled back into forced labor with shocking force and brutality. It was a system in which men, often guilty of no crime at all, were arrested, compelled to work without pay, repeatedly bought and sold, and coerced to do the bidding of masters. Tolerated by both the North and South, forced labor lasted well into the 20th century.” Read more on PBS. Available from the Public Library.
Soundtrack for a Revolution
“A 2009 documentary film written and directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman. This documentary traces the story of the Civil Rights Movement and the struggles fought by young African-American activists with an emphasis on the power of music.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
Dark Girls
“A 2011 documentary film by Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry. It documents colorism within the African American community, a subject still considered taboo by many black Americans. The film contains interviews of African American women describing the role colorism has played in their lives, with notable African Americans including Viola Davis also detailing her experience. It also reports on a new version of the 1940s black doll experiment by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, which proved that black children had internalized racism by having children select a white or a black doll (they typically chose white) based on questions asked. In the updated version, black children favored light-skinned dolls over dark-skinned dolls.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
Do The Right Thing
“A 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. The story explores a Brooklyn neighborhood's simmering racial tension, which culminates in violence and a death on a hot summer day. In 1999, the film was deemed ‘culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant’ by the Library of Congress, in its first year of eligibility, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
Selma
“Based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches initiated and directed by James Bevel and led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
Malcolm X
“The film dramatizes key events in Malcolm X's life: his criminal career, his incarceration, his conversion to Islam, his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his later falling out with the organization, his marriage to Betty X, his pilgrimage to Mecca and reevaluation of his views concerning whites, and his assassination on February 21, 1965. Defining childhood incidents, including his father's death, his mother's mental illness, and his experiences with racism are dramatized in flashbacks.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix
Moonlight
“A 2016 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based on Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. It stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix
LA 92
“A 2017 American documentary film about the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Consisting entirely of archival footage, the documentary chronicles the 1992 Los Angeles riots after 25 years have passed.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix
Rodney King
“A 2017 American one-man show directed by Spike Lee and written by and starring Roger Guenveur Smith. The film is a one-man show where Roger Guenveur Smith does a multiplicity of voices, alternately taking and opposing Rodney King's side.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Netflix
I Am Not Your Negro
“A 2016 documentary film directed by Raoul Peck, based on James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House. Narrated by actor Samuel L. Jackson, the film explores the history of racism in the United States through Baldwin's reminiscences of civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his personal observations of American history.[3] It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards and won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary.” Read more on Wikipedia. Available on Amazon
Just Mercy
A 2019 legal drama based on the life of Walter McMillian, who appeals his murder conviction with the help of Bryan Stevenson. Read more on Wikipedia. Available for free at JustMercyFilm.com