A reading list in the wake of the killing of George Floyd
Books to spur your antiracist learning, and your family’s.
Yesterday, a member of the Minneapolis Police Department kneeled on George Floyd’s neck until he choked to death while three officers stood by. The pattern that followed — and yes, it is a pattern — is familiar. A protest planned via social media. Twitter and Instagram posts about racism and social justice. A public gathering that began as peaceful, this time with masks and social distancing in play, and ended with rubber bullets, tear gas, a ransacked police department, and a stand-off between cops and rioters involving a makeshift barricade made of shopping carts in a Target parking lot.
To my white friends and community members: we speak words like sickened, devastated, shocked. We voice our confusion and raise questions. If now is the time that you’re asking why and how, looking to learn more, or questioning the rage of those in the Minneapolis streets, consider listening to what’s already been said. My learning is far from over, but I invite you to join me in seeking knowledge, understanding, and guidance.
Try one of these:
Waking Up White (Debby Irving): A little bit “racism for beginners,” this book takes on a narrative form and walks through systemic racism and how…
