Right now I am sure we are all
aware of the situation breaking out across the US following the death of George
Floyd. I have also seen a lot of posts on social media about the need to
dismantle the structures of racism and the need for white people to look at the
ideas we have internalised as part of the work of dismantling racism. Everyone
needs to learn to do better for the future.
I am a white British man, so I am
writing this post from my perspective, sharing the books that have really
helped me to understand the struggles black people face on a daily basis in
America. I have a degree in American Literature and throughout my degree I
focused on learning, reading, and writing about minority communities and
oppression. So sharing a selection of books I think white people need to read
to understand something about being black in America feels like a way that I
can do something.
The Hate U Give
(2017) by Angie Thomas
Probably one of the most relevant
books you could be reading right now. The
Hate U Give follows 16-year-old Starr Carter after she witnesses a white
police officer shoot and kill her friend, Khalil. I suspect most people who
will read a blog post like this have probably heard of The Hate U Give, but if you have not read this book yet you really
need to.
Citizen: An American
Lyric (2014) by Claudia Rankine
A fascinating
book that mixes poetry, essay, art and photography that is quickly becoming
considered a modern classic. The breadth covered by Rankine in this book make
this an ideal text to read if you are keen to learn more about being black in
America. Subjects covered include racist micro-aggressions, racism in sport,
and incidents police brutality.
Anything by Toni Morrison
I couldn’t write a post about
black American books without including Toni Morrison, she is a legend. I suspect
other posts might recommend you read Beloved
(1987) a novel that explores slavery and intergenerational trauma – however whilst
Beloved is a fantastic novel it is
also difficult to read in form and might not be ideal if you are new to
Morrison. Sula (1973) is my personal
favourite book by Morrison though the way race functions is a little less
obvious in that one. The Bluest Eye (1970) is perhaps Morrison’s strongest novel
for exploring and understanding the effect that de-humanising racism has had
upon the black community. I would also recommend reading Playing in the Dark (1992) a work of literary criticism which
explores the way that the realities of race have tinged much of American life.
The Fire Next Time
(1963) by James Baldwin
The Fire Next Time is written in the 1960s
exploring the role of race in American history against the backdrop of the
black power movement as de-segregation started to happen. However whilst it is
written very much in its time and moment, the tensions that Baldwin writes
about still continue today and can be seen right now in Minneapolis. Baldwin
has sadly been overlooked by history but he definitely deserves to be read, particularly
as he was one of the first black gay writers.
Incidents in the Life
of a Slave Girl (1861) by Harriet Jacobs
I felt conflicted about if I
should put a slave narrative on this list or not, however I think we need to talk
about the history of slavery. I suspect that for a lot of people even if you
know about the history of slavery you haven’t read about it from the perspective
of an enslaved woman. Jacob’s narrative is autobiographical and incredibly
powerful. This is a difficult book to read, and I remember feeling exhausted when
I finished reading it, but it is also a book that should be read.
This list is not exhaustive by any means but it should be a
good starting point. It is not up to black people to educate white people about
race, however there are tons of books available for you to read to educate
yourself about race, and now is the time to do the work for yourself.
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