There is also plenty of reading and viewing material on the internet; the trouble is finding what's reliable and worth your time. Try some of these! All are reputable sources, and available at no cost. Most would be suitable to use as sources for your research papers, too.
- At blkfreecom.org, six black history museums have teamed up for a virtual commemmoration of Juneteenth, the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
- "If You Want Justice, Teach Kids How to Read." An article for teachers. "There’s an old saying in activist circles: “If you want peace, work for justice.” And in education, if you want justice, the best place to start is by teaching children to read." (The same for math!)
- Speaking of kids reading, what do we do about classic stories that feature outdated stereotypes? And how do we make our diverse books reflect feelings other than pain?
- If we want to 'decolonize literature,' then shouldn't we read works by minority writers on terms that don't expect them to only write about being oppressed?
- The academic site Muse has collected a wide variety of scholarship on structural racism. There are books and articles, and all are temporarily cost-free. Even after the expiration date, if you see something you want, ask the Library and we'll get it for you at no cost.
- Several writers have critiqued the ethos of White Fragility, wondering if it's truly the right approach.
- The Columbia linguist John McWhorter feels that White Fragility is outright neo-racist. He is writing a book critiquing the current rhetoric, and making it available for free, chapter by chapter. Here's chapter 1.
- A writer ponders colorblindess vs.race consciousness.
- An interesting critique of Ibram X. Kendi's book, asking if Kendi's solutions are realistic.
- A journalist believes that "Black People Are Far More Powerful Than Critical Race Theory Preaches."
- PBS has made many documentaries about race issues in America, and they're all available here.
- Free Black Thought is a site collecting heterodox Black voices.
- The academic publisher SAGE has made a large set of scholarly articles on racial and policing issues free to read.
- The Smithsonian has put together a web portal full of resources to help people talk about racial issues. There is material for all ages!
- Here's a playlist of TED talks about race.
- A PBS documentary of the life of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. A review says,"Michael Pack’s new PBS documentary on the life of Justice Clarence Thomas describes his growing up in poverty in the rural Jim Crow south, and living through the 60s and the cultural upheavals of the era. I found it riveting. He doesn’t try to win everybody over to his views, but he explains the experiences and reflections that brought him to the perspective he came to have."
- The Glenn Show is a regular video podcast in which "Glenn Loury invites guests from the worlds of academia, journalism and public affairs to share insights on economic, political and social issues" -- especially racial issues. John McWhorter, a well-known linguist with outspoken views, is a frequent guest.
- An immigrant writes about America and the concept of "whiteness" in the Atlantic, and pleas for unity. (A more in-depth version can be found at the Hedgehog Review.)
- 13th is a Netflix documentary on mass incarceration in America.
- "The Confederate Flag: Heritage or Hate?" -- what happens when two people on different sides talk with each other? This is just one episode in the documentary series The Moral Courage Project, which has a Youtube channel and online resources.
- The David Walker Memorial Project: "David Walker (1797?-1830) was a courageous and visionary African American leader and activist. He put his life on the line by publicly demanding the immediate end of slavery in the new nation of the United States." Find out more about an unsung hero.
- Resources for constructive engagement are available at Heterodox Academy. "As an organization that encourages individuals to engage in difficult conversations, we think now is a time to listen, to be aware of the limits of our own understanding, and to be doubly-aware of the profound value of others’ insights." Helpful for classroom, community, and individual discussions.
- Interested in more general issues of free speech, callout culture, and college campuses? The president of FIRE, Greg Lukianoff, has made lists of important readings. Any books mentioned are probably found in the Butte College Library, but some are only available through InterLibrary Loan.
• Free speech culture, where it came from, and how it exists today;
• Cancel/Call-Out/Outrage Culture, its contours, and its recent origins; and
• The conservative perspective on campus speech issues.
