7 Essential Anti-Racist Reads to Become a Better Ally

The past two weeks are ones that will go down in the history books. After the murder of George Floyd on May 25th, protests have erupted across the country and a long overdue and brutally honest dialogue about racism has begun. Instead of simply saying, “I’m not racist,” many white Americans are, for the first time, saying, “I have racial biases that I need to examine and correct.”

These emerging conversations are honest, candid, and uncomfortable. Collectively, many of us have realized that not being a racist will no longer cut it. We have to be actively anti-racist, which means recognizing and calling out racist words and behaviors in others but also in ourselves. Nonblack Americans will never understand what it means to be black in this country, but we must do our part as allies in this fight. Whether you’re a longtime ally and activist or your passion was sparked this week, here are seven books to read to better understand how we can push for justice and true equality.

All online bookstores linked are black-owned.

Purchase here from Mahogany Books (Washington D.C.)
Purchase here from The Lit. Bar (The Bronx, NY)
Purchase here from The Brain Lair Bookstore (South Bend, IN)
Purchase here from Cafe con Libros (Brooklyn, NY)
Purchase here from Sankofa (Washington D.C.)
Purchase here from Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery (Chicago, IL)
Purchase here from The Dock Bookshop (Atlanta, GA)