As we grapple with the recent tragic murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the countless others before, we know that many people are coming to a new understanding of police brutality and systemic racism in America. We want to acknowledge the importance of educating ourselves first rather than putting more weight on the shoulders of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community members.
Below you will find a collection of books, documentaries and films, podcasts and more that we hope will help you grow in your understanding of these important topics. In addition, we encourage seeking out works by BIPOC, whether specifically dedicated to this kind of learning or not. No matter where you may be in this learning journey, we hope that this will provide resources that help those interested in learning more about our history, our problematic and racist systems and structures, and how to be better allies/accomplices for marginalized individuals and communities. Thank you to all those who have contributed suggestions. We will continue to add to this list and we will continue to learn with you.
Remember that many of these resources can be accessed for free online or through your local library (including remotely). If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please contact Community Outreach Director Mollie Kennedy at mkennedy@acluwv.org.