Anti-racism, Race, and Social Justice Resources
This anti-racism and social justice resource list includes articles, books, videos, and podcasts for educators, young people from early childhood to high school, and parents.
For various books, we have provided links to free online access to the text where it has been made available; otherwise, a link to a publisher's website from where the book can be purchased.
It is our hope that this compiled resource list supports young people, educators, and parents in healing and conversation.
If you have suggestions for additional resources please email us at info@theartwell.org.
Resources For Educators
Southern Poverty Law Center "Teaching Tolerance"
Teaching Tolerance is an initiative from the Southern Poverty Law Center that provides free resources (classroom lessons, webinars, podcasts, and more) to K-12 educators centered on anti bias and social justice. Find it here⇢
EmbraceRace
EmbraceRace actively works to reverse the trend of sharpening racial divisions in the US by providing tools, resources, and discussion spaces to raise kids to think critically about racial inequity and injustice, and nurture inclusive, empathetic children of all stripes. Find it here⇢
Early Childhood Education Assembly
Early Childhood Education Assembly offers a large collection of resource lists for several areas, such as curricular resources to build teachers' background knowledge on African American histories, race talk in the early childhood classroom, anti-bias teaching, and more. Find it here⇢
Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (University of Washington)
A slideshow with voice narrated modules on how to talk to kids in early childhood and middle childhood about race. Find it here⇢
Racial Justice Organizing
A comprehensive resource list of videos, articles, podcasts, and books for educators of early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students for discussing race, Black Lives Matter, historical injustice, and more. Find it here⇢
Raising Race Conscious Children
A blog featuring conversations, workshops, and webinars to support parents and teachers who are trying to talk about race and diversity with young children. Find it here⇢
National Council of Teachers of English
List of resources for working with white students, understanding white supremacy, and a list of books for teachers to read. Find it here⇢
Black Lives Matter at School
Teaching materials related to the principles of Black Lives Matter for all grade levels. Find it here⇢
Abolitionist Teaching Network
Organization that develops and supports educators to fight injustice within their schools and communities. Find it here⇢
National Humanities Center
Resources for teaching African American literature and history. Find it here⇢
"See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love" by Valarie Kaur
"See No Stranger helps us imagine new ways of being with each other—and with ourselves—so that together we can begin to build the world we want to see." Find it here⇢
Pepperdine University "Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and Help Others"
An informative resource on the prevalence of prejudice and implicit bias in society, including information about what marginalized groups are most likely to be harmed by prejudice and ways to be an ally and help build resilience. Find it here⇢
Sunshine Behavioral Health "Mental Health Issues Facing the Black Community"
An overview of mental health in black communities including: How Racism Causes Mental Health Problems; Common Serious Mental Illnesses Among Black People; Why Don’t More Black People Seek Mental Health Help?; The Importance of Culturally Competent Care. Find it here⇢
"How to Provide a Multicultural Education" by Baylor University's School of Education
14 strategies for incorporating multicultural education in the classroom such as fostering a growth mindset with students, evaluating teaching styles, ways to help students connect learning experiences to their communities, and more. The resource also addresses common challenges for educators such as culturally sensitive topics and how to approach the subject matter. Find it here⇢
Teaching Artists Guild "Centering the Work | Social Justice Resource Database"
A crowd-sourced arts education and social justice repository celebrating best practices, practitioners and projects from all over the country to serve as beacons, inspirations and support. Find it here⇢
Penn Museum "Science and Race: History, Use, and Abuse"
The Public Classroom @ Penn Museum: Science and Race: History, Use and Abuse introduces a range of topics that call attention to the complicated and, too often, destructive history of race. Find it here⇢
Resources For Parents
NPR
A podcast from NPR on how to handle conversations about race, racism, diversity and inclusion, even with very young children. Find it here⇢
Everyday Feminism
6 Things White Parents Can Do to Raise Racially Conscious Children. Find it here⇢
Buzzfeed
Here's How W. Kamau Bell Talks About Race With His Kids. Find it here⇢
Books for Littles
Anti-Racism For Kids 101: Starting To Talk About Race. Find it here⇢
American Psychological Association
Not only does racism impact you as a parent, it can also impact how you interact with your children. Experiences of racism build on each other and can chip away at your emotional, physical and spiritual resources as a parent, contributing to race-related stress. This is a tool for parents on how to deal with racial stress. Find it here⇢
American Psychological Association
Strategies for discussing race and ethnicity while reading books with your children. Find it here⇢
Teaching Tolerance "Beyond the Golden Rule"
A parent's guide to preventing and responding to prejudice. Written by Dana Williams. Illustrations by Vincent Nguyen. Find it here⇢
On Being
Krista Tippet in conversation with YA writer Jason Reynolds — coauthor to Ibram X. Kendi's book "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You", a history of racism for young readers. Find it here⇢
In The Workplace
Fingerprint for Success
Women of color in the workplace: The persistent obstacles and how you can rise to meet them. Find it here⇢
Early Childhood Books
"A is for Activist" by Innosanto Nagara
"A is for Activist is an ABC board book written and illustrated for the next generation of progressives: families who want their kids to grow up in a space that is unapologetic about activism, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and everything else that activists believe in and fight for." Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Black Is a Rainbow Color" by Angela Joy
"A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on." Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"We March" by Shane Evans
Shane Evans writes and illustrates a story about August 28, 1963, the day of the historic March on Washington, brought to life for even the youngest reader to experience. Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Hands Up!" by Breanna J. McDaniel
"This triumphant picture book recasts a charged phrase as part of a black girl’s everyday life–hands up for a hug, hands up in class, hands up for a high five–before culminating in a moment of resistance at a protest march." Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Let's Talk About Race" by Julius Lester
In this picture book for young children, Julius Lester writes about the common humanity that lies in our differences in identity. Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"The Rabbit Listened" by Cori Doerrfeld
A moving book about loss, empathy, and healing. Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands/Tenemos El Mundo Entero en las Manos" by Rafael Lopez
This bilingual picture book emphasizes inclusiveness, unity, and friendship to young people around the world. Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Mommy's Khimar" by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
"A young girl plays dress up with her mother’s headscarves, feeling her mother’s love with every one she tries on. Charming and vibrant illustrations showcase the beauty of the diverse and welcoming community in this portrait of a young Muslim American girl’s life." Reading on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Antiracist Baby" by Ibram X. Kendi
A board book that introduces antiracism to young children. Find it here⇢
"A Kids Book About Racism" by Jelani Memory
"Inside, you'll find a clear description of what racism is, how it makes people feel when they experience it, and how to spot it when it happens. This is one conversation that's never too early to start, and this book was written to be an introduction for kids on the topic." Find it here⇢
Resources For Elementary To Middle School Students
Change Agent Handbook: Myths and Facts About Racism
This handbook provides useful information, such as myths and facts about racism, questions to consider, and definitions that every young person should know. Find it here⇢
#NoDaysOffChallenge2020 from Kids for Peace
A student led PSA on how to support the Black Lives Matter movement in creative ways everyday of the week. Watch it on YouTube. Find it here⇢
Racial Equity Tools Glossary
Important words and terms to know to build your anti-racism knowledge and vocabulary. Find it here⇢
Activities for Young People to Challenge Discrimination by Amnesty International
Three activities on human rights to empower young people to help challenge racism, stereotypes and prejudice, understand the individuals and communities at risk, and the consequences of discrimination. Find it here⇢
The Electrifying Speeches of Sojourner Truth
A TED-Ed video about the life of the activist Sojourner Truth. Find it here⇢
Anti-Racist Organizing from the Tyree Scott Freedom School
A video with tips for young people about anti racist organizing. Watch it on YouTube. Find it here⇢
Books For Elementary To Middle School Students
"The Kid's Guide to Social Action" by Barbara Lewis
An informative guide for kids who want to make a difference in the world for the issues they care about. (Note: you must create a free account with the Internet Archive in order to borrow the book.) Find it here⇢
"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr." Find it here⇢
"This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work"
"Gain a deeper understanding of your anti-racist self as you progress through 20 chapters that spark introspection, reveal the origins of racism that we are still experiencing, and give you the courage and power to undo it." Find it here⇢
"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
"This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future." Find it here⇢
"Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement" by Carole Boston Weatherford
"Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength." Find it here⇢
"The Lines We Cross" by Randa Abdel-Fattah
"A remarkable story about the power of tolerance from one of the most important voices in contemporary Muslim literature, critically acclaimed author Randa Abdel-Fattah." Find it here⇢
"All American Boys" by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds
"Rashad Butler and Quinn Collins are two young men, one black and one white, whose lives are forever changed by an act of extreme police brutality. Rashad wakes up in a hospital. Quinn saw how he got there. And so did the video camera that taped the cop beating Rashad senseless into the pavement. Thus begins ALL AMERICAN BOYS, written in tandem by two of our great literary talents, Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely." Find it here⇢
Resources For High School Students
DoSomething
Using their digital platform, DoSomething members join volunteer, social change, and civic action campaigns to make real-world impact on causes they care about. Find it here⇢
TED: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding." Watch it on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"13TH" directed by Ava DuVernay
"Combining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America." Netflix has made this full film available on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"1619", Podcast from The New York Times
An audio series on how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling. Find it here⇢
Intersectionality Matters! with Kimberlé Crenshaw
"Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term "intersectionality"; in this podcast, she brings the term to life." Find it here⇢
Racial Trauma and Ways To Cope (from The Conscious Kid)
The Conscious Kid is "an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to equity and promoting positive racial identity development in youth." Find it here⇢
Chronicling Resistance
"A project by the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries. Amplifying 300+ years of resistance in the archives, preserving records of today's acts of resistance." Find it here⇢
Books For High School Students
"The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
This is the full audio book of James Baldwin's the Fire Next Time (1963) read by Jesse L. Martin. The Fire Next Time is a book by James Baldwin. It contains two essays: "My Dungeon Shook — Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of Emancipation," and "Down At The Cross — Letter from a Region of My Mind". Available on YouTube. Find it here⇢
"Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
"Between the World and Me" is written as a letter to the author's teenage son about the feelings, symbolism, and realities associated with being Black in the United States. Find it here⇢
"Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde
"In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change." Find it here⇢
"Fences" by August Wilson
"Part of August Wilson’s 10-play Century Cycle, Fences explores the walls we build around ourselves and our loved ones, while also illuminating one family’s struggles in a racist society." Find it here⇢
"This Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color"
This Bridge Called My Back is a testimony to women of color feminism as it emerged in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Through personal essays, criticism, interviews, testimonials, poetry, and visual art, the collection explores, as coeditor Cherríe Moraga writes, “the complex confluence of identities—race, class, gender, and sexuality—systemic to women of color oppression and liberation.” Find it here⇢
"Topdog/Underdog," A Play by Suzan Lori-Parks
"A darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity, Topdog/Underdog tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers whose names, given to them as a joke, foretell a lifetime of sibling rivalry and resentment. Haunted by their past, the brothers are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future." Find it here⇢