In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the resulting explosion of protests against systemic racism, it’s more important than ever to listen, learn, and lament with our brothers and sisters of color. One way to do this more effectively is to open books written by black authors, to watch movies made by black filmmakers, to listen to music by black artists, and to tune in to podcasts that bring us deeper into the conversation about biblical antiracism. In so doing, we can amplify black voices and help our fellow image-bearers rise and flourish in a more just and equitable future. Here is a list of resources—mostly books, including some for children—to help us get started or continue on the path to restoring God’s diverse and beautiful world.
The Antioch Podcast: Conversations About Biblical Anti-Racism
A podcast produced by a diverse CRC church offers an ongoing conversation about anti-racism.
After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom
By Alice Marie Johnson
The true story of a woman whose unjust life sentence and presidential commutation made national news.
Bread for the Resistance
By Donna Barber
An original and bracing devotional encourages Christians who work to resist injustice.
Good Time
By Ranky Tanky
Album combines jazz, blues, folk, and 1950s rock through intricate West African rhythms preserved on the Atlantic Sea Islands.
A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story
By Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A glowing picture book tells the true story of how a ride on a carousel made a powerful Civil Rights statement.
Clap Your Hands: A Celebration of Gospel
By Toyomi Igus. Illustrated by Michele Wood
A joyous picture book celebrates African-American gospel music.
A Question of Faith
Produced by Angela White, this faith-based film explores God’s redemptive work in the lives of three families faced with tragedy. It is the first of its kind to have been produced by an African-American female producer.
The Nickel Boys
By Colson Whitehead
As idealistic achiever and fledgling civil rights activist Elwood Curtis hitchhikes to his first college class in the early 1960s, the car that picks him up turns out to be stolen, and in a moment all of his dreams for the future are in peril.
The Undefeated
By Kwame Alexander
The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.
The Water Dancer
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
In this riveting novel, Ta-Nehisi Coates exposes the atrocities inflicted on slaves and their resilience and courage for future generations.
About the Author
Lorilee Craker, a native of Winnipeg, Man., lives in Grand Rapids, Mich. The author of 15 books, she is the Mixed Media editor of The Banner. Find her on Instagram @thebooksellersdaughter or on her podcast Eat Like a Heroine.