The latest police brutality incidents that led to massive demonstrations and unrest in the US awoke emotions in some and curiosity in others. While racism in America today is nothing new to Black and Brown people, some white people find it hard to relate. Initially, there was a reluctance among people of color to explain to their white counterparts how systemic racism works, but the genuine interest in some folks has led to a fresh look at things: mass education about racism.
Kids too Need Information
People of color have been learning how to stop racism in the future by educating others, including their young children, about this social injustice. Reading a book written by an author with a good grasp on this topic will open your eyes to systemic discrimination, white privilege, and even help you spot injustices that you may not be subject to daily.
Even if you are not an avid reader, plenty of essays have been written to show discrepancies between races that will open your mind to the state of the world. The play and movie Fences is one of those artistic pieces that a lot of people growing up in a pre-internet era relate to, and readers have a lot of fences essays examples to help them break this work down. Typical free essay examples on the site expound on issues such as religion and the actual fence in the play and movie. These essays are short and to the point, so even uncommitted readers will have an easy time going through them.
Each writer of these books about racism below knows how it feels to be discriminated against for something they could not control.
“Fences” by August Wilson
Troy Maxson watches his dream of playing at the major leagues pass him by as he gathers dust in the benches, simply for being the wrong color. Negroes weren’t good enough to play at the Major Leagues, and so this career detour leads him to a garbage management company in Pittsburgh. Even here, Troy cannot drive the garbage truck, a factor he questions when people from his race are only allowed to empty these trucks. This is one of those social justice books that makes you wonder how fragile the mind of a racist really is if they are threatened by the rise of someone they already consider weaker to them.
“White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide” by Carol Anderson
In this book, the author shows how white supremacists react to the empowerment of the black community. Whenever Black people rise by gaining voting rights, education, property ownership, and financial freedom, racists are threatened and will do anything to retain the status quo. The author shows how deep-rooted racism is, in not only a physical way, but mentally too.
“Progressive Dystopia” by Savannah Shange
Black people are often branded as hysterical and easily provoked, and in her book, Shange expounds on this. She tackles a whole range of topic, including anti-blackness and how the school system in the US marks a black student from the get-go. Before a black kid commits a crime or does any of the things that would be labeled ‘aggressive,’ they have been subjected to subtle and not-so-subtle discrimination that pushes them to the edge. Any university student would want to read this before, so they know what to expect and avoid pitfalls.
Feed you Mind
Education changes race relations. Those against change are afraid of the empowerment that would follow a well-read people, and so they would rather keep the status quo. That is not an option. Thanks to the internet that has made it easier to disseminate information, lots of people have been asking, “what is a privilege?” and they are getting mind-blowing answers. Reading sheds light on lies we have lived for centuries. Grab one of these today – audiobooks are available too – and become a student of some of the greatest minds ever to grace the earth.
