Books and Podcasts to Continue Your Black Lives Matter Education

Books and podcasts

With the school year starting back up and the wave of protests following the death of George Floyd in July settling down, you may not be as invested in your anti-racism education as you were over the summer. However, the discussion surrounding race continues to be as important as ever, so we’ve compiled a list of books and podcasts to help you continue your anti-racist journey. Even as news media shifts towards other topics, we urge you to make an effort to continue educating yourself and staying informed about racism.

1		BBC Witness: Black History is a historical podcast that dives into moments in history leading us to the current social movement. If your school didn’t cover some black history to its full extent, this podcast is a great opportunity to learn more.
2		So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo covers topics like affirmative action, intersectionality, and more to help you have honest and helpful discussions about race with others.
3		Code Switch is a weekly NPR podcast covering the intersections of race, politics, culture, and society. Recent episodes discuss Kamala Harris, Hurricane Katrina fifteen years later, and more.
4		Me and White Supremacy was inspired by a viral Instagram challenge. So if you’re looking for a more active approach to your anti-racist education, pick up Layla F. Saad’s book for a 28-day journey to dismantle your privilege.
5		1619, from the New York Times, brings you back to the first ship that brought 20 slaves to Virginia and the long history of racism that has followed.
6		You might have heard of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, but it was named one of the best books of 2020 for good reason. Kendi weaves his personal narrative into a useful approach for creating an equal society.
7		If you’re interested in learning more about the recent history that has led to the state of racism in this country, give About Race a listen. Reni Eddo-Lodge interviews powerful leaders in this conversation on race.
8		The New Jim Crow dives into the issue of mass incarceration in this country. Michelle Alexander, a legal scholar and author, was considered to have fueled the Black Lives Matter movement through this work.
9		Floodlines explores the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and the government’s ignorance towards people of color. As the description of Part II states, “In New Orleans, the disaster wasn’t the hurricane. The disaster was what happened after.”
10		In a time of various ideas towards policing, The End of Policing by Alex Vitale reveals the problems with the current police state and potential solutions or alternatives.