what happened in minneapolis, and what comes next?
an activist archival project
kindred
octavia e. butler
Butler’s novel follows a black female hero through a time of slavery and racism. Dana, the protagonist, is kidnapped from her home in California and embarks on a journey and analysis of uncertainty, racial inequality and danger.
the color purple
alice walker
Walker's classic follows the life of Celie, a poor black woman in the 1900s American South, as she undergoes many hardships and abuse from the men around her. A truly intersectional novel, The Color Purple looks at the conjunction of class, gender, sexual orientation, and age and builds from it a truly beautiful tale of liberation and female sisterhood.
the hate u give
angie thomas
Starr Carter, an African-American teenager, faces pressure from various communities and tries to stand up for what is right after she witnesses the shooting of her best friend by the police. A great look into privilege and black youth, this is a great introduction to black literature and the problem of police brutality for younger readers.
stack of books on race and racism, for kids (up to 12)
compiled by jane mount
A beautiful illustration of a stack of children's books (or books children can easily read and understand) about race, racism, and racial issues. Posted on the @idealbookshelf Instagram originally. Not all of these books are fiction, but most are, and the ones that are not read as easily as most fiction tends to.
stack of books on race and racism, for readers 13 and up
compiled by jane mount
A beautiful illustration of a stack of books about race, racism, and racial issues that anyone generally aged 13 or up can read. Posted on the @idealbookshelf Instagram originally. Not all of these books are fiction, but most are, and the ones that are not read as easily as most fiction tends to.