I grew up in the northern Midwest United States, about two hours south of Canada. Because I was northern, raised in a Christian home, and believe “all men are created equal”, I firmly believed racial prejudice did not exist in my life or even in my geographical area. I associated racism with the South and the sixties. This view – unconscious though it was – went unchecked because my hometown is almost entirely white.
When I moved to Virginia for college, I came face to face with assumptions I’d long held about people of other ethnicities. While not necessarily negative, these were assumptions I didn’t even know I had. As the tension in the U.S. has grown over these issues, I’ve dedicated myself to understanding them more – particularly as a Christian leader.
A few months ago I asked my readers on Instagram to send me their best resources on race relations so my community can begin their own study. They did not disappoint! Following is the master list.
*I encourage critical thinking when reading on ALL topics. My suggestion of these books is not an all encompassing endorsement. Think critically and check what you read against Scripture. Favorites of mine: Jasmine Holmes, Jemar Tisby, Esau McCaulley.
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Books to Read
- United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity by Trillia J. Newbell
- The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
- How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby
- What Lies Between Us by Dr Lucretia Carter Berry
- The Problem of Slavery in Christian America by Dr. Joel McDurmon
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol
- High Definition Leader: Building Multi-Ethnic Churches by Derwin Gray
- Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian by John Piper
- The Heart of Racial Justice by Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil
- Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way by Richard Twiss
- A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
- The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World by Sandra Van Opstal
- Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace, and Healing by Chris Rice and Emmanuel Katongole
- Being White by Doug Schaupp and Paula Harris
- Roadmap to Reconciliation by Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil
- Between the World and Me by TeNehesi Coates
- Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders by Paul Tokunaga
- Rise Up: A Call to Leadership for African American Women by Sylvia Rose
- Disunity in Christ by Christena Cleveland
- Strength to Love by Martin Luther King Jr.
- White Awake: An Honest Look at What it Means to Be White by Daniel Hill
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
- Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race by Benjamin Watson
- Dream with Me by John Perkins
- Letters to the Birmingham Jail edited by Bryan Lorttis
- God’s Very Good Idea by Trulia Newbell
People to Follow
- Anthony Carter
- Thabiti Anyabwile
- Bethaney Herrington
- Christena Cleveland
- Dr. Jarvis Williams
- Lisa Fields
- Jasmine Holmes
- Trulia Newbell
- Ayanna Mathis
- Dr. Lucretia Berry
- Jemar Tisby
- Esau McCaulley
Podcasts to Listen To
Pass the Mic
Truths Table
All Things Work Together (LeCrae)
Articles to Check Out
The Rationalization of Racial Injustice
Worship: A Multicultural Makeover
Millennials are Just as Racist as Their Parents – Washington Post
Confessions of an Accidentally Racially Blind Pastor – Relevant
Unpacking the Invisible White Knapsack
There is No Post-Racial America
Videos and Documentaries to Watch
12 Years a Slave
13th (Documentary)
Mass Incarceration Visualized
The Enduring Myth of Black Criminality
Slavery to Mass Incarceration
Michelle Higgins at Urbana 2015
Christena Cleveland at Urbana 2015
