Anti-Racism Books to Educate Yourself - Poosh

We’re dedicated to becoming better allies through educating ourselves on racism and addressing the inequality in our world. In addition to peacefully protesting, using our voices, pledging as a company to do more, and demanding change—helping end racism starts with doing the work. This means taking the time to reflect, reading the books that explain the history of the Black Lives Matter movement, watching the films and documentaries that portray racial injustice, supporting Black-owned businesses, and facing uncomfortable conversations with our friends and family.

Today we’re highlighting a selection of books to read so you can start doing the work and keep true to your word. We’ve linked each book to Black-owned bookstores in an effort to support the Black community—it’s a small action that can make a big impact on BIPOC’s financial growth. You might have to pre-order some of the reads on the list, but it was more important to us to support small stores over simply linking out to Amazon. Scroll on to learn our list (children’s books included too at the end).

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

White Rage by Carol Anderson Ph.D.

This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins

Locking Up Our Own by James Forman Jr.

The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy Tyson

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong

America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallis

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Good Talk by Mira Jacob

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

How Does It Feel to Be the Problem? by Moustafa Bayoumi

The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Asha Bandele and Patrisse Cullors

An African American and Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz

Citizen by Claudia Rankine

Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism From The Inside Out by Ruth King

Tears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric Dyson

This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum

The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein

Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? by Mumia Abu-Jamal

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

No Name in the Street by James Baldwin

Children’s Books

An ABC of Equality by Chana Ginelle Ewing

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are by Maria Dismondy

This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World by Matt Lamothe

The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler

I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

ABC What Can She Be?: Girls Can Be Anything They Want to Be, from A to Z by Jessie Ford and Sugar Snap Studio

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner

Grace for President by Kelly Dipucchio

We’re Different, We’re the Same (Sesame Street) by Bobbi Kates

One Love adapted by Cedella Marley

Dreams of Freedom by Amnesty International

I Am Enough by Grace Byers

Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry

Little Feminist Board Book Set by Mudpuppy

Counting with-Contando Con Friday by Patty Rodriguez

Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs

Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan

The Day You Begin by Jaqueline Woodson

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

You can read this Twitter thread for more Black-owned bookstores in the US.