On 25 May 2020, George Floyd, an African American, died after a white police officer forced his knee on George’s neck for almost 9 minutes. The official autopsy initially declared no indication of strangulation and the officer was only charged with manslaughter, despite George reiterating that he could not breathe. In the aftermath, police brutality and racism towards black protesters in the United States is rife.

White silence is complicit and harmful. It is the responsibility of White people to recognise their privilege and mobilise; to show solidarity and to demand justice for George and the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Below is a list of books recommended by black activists: lecturers, writers and influencers. While it is not the responsibility of black people to educate white people, by spotlighting these particular recommendations, we hope to amplify Black activists’ work and galvanise more people to understand the rampant racism facing black people today. 

Reni Eddo-Lodge 

Writer Eddo-Lodge has recommended her own multi-award winning book on Twitter and asked everyone to borrow or buy it. She requested that everyone who buys a copy matches whatever they paid with a donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund. She will also be using some of her book royalties to donate. 

Recommendation:

Why I’m no Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. Available here. 

Ibram X. Kendi

Kendi is an American author and lecturer who won the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction for his book Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. His latest bestselling book is How to be an Antiracist. Kendi has created ‘an antiracist reading list’ which you can find here.

Recommendations:

The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime and the Making of Modern Urban America by Khalil Gibran Muhammad. Available here. 

Locking Up our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman Junior. Available here. 

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde. Available here. 

Brittney Cooper

Cooper is an American author and activist whose own work includes the highly acclaimed book Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower. She has recommended reading that focuses on black feminist thought. 

Recommendation:

Vexy Thing: On Gender and Liberation by Imani Perry. Available here. 

Zeba Blay

Senior culture writer for the Huffington Post, Blay has compiled a useful list of books ‘that every white person should read’. She believes that one of the best ways to educate and understand racism is to pick up a book. 

Recommendations: 

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. Available here. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Available here. 

Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon. Available here. 

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Available here. 

Dr Amile Inusa 

Dr. Inusa is a junior doctor, podcaster and educator from London. She uses her social media platform to speak out about racism within the NHS. She has listed books that are urgently needed in the aftermath of George’s death. Her full list of book recommendations can be found here. 

Recommendations:

Natives by Akala. Available here. 

White Fragility: Why It’s so Hard for People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo. Available here. 

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad. Available here. 

Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch. Available here. 

Please consider buying or borrowing these books and, once you have read them, sharing them with your fellow city girls. Let us know if you read them or if you have any other recommendations in the comments below. 

Written by Rosie Doyle