The devastating current events—the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd—underscore just how much work there is to be done in combating racism in our country. In addition to amplifying the voices of Black writers, artists, and activists, supporting the organizations that are leading the way, and electing public officials who are dedicated to dismantling systemic racism at local, state, and federal levels, another crucial step in committing to doing the anti-racist work is educating ourselves.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey, "reading opens you up. It exposes you and gives you access to anything your mind can hold. It gives you the ability to reach higher ground.” We here at Create & Cultivate couldn’t agree more, which is we’re using our platform to share a list of thought-provoking reads that are challenging us to dismantle our privilege, confront our biases, and do our part to effect change. Scroll on to join us in buying books from Black-owned, independent bookstores and putting in the work for the long-haul.

Please note: Many of the books linked here via Bookshop.org may be temporarily sold out or available for backorder. We urge you to use this directory maintained by African American Literature Book Club (AALBC) and Alliance for Black Literature and Entertainment (ABLE) to support a Blacked-owned, independent bookstore near you.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo offers readers a user-friendly guide to having honest conversations about race and racism. It’s a must-read for anyone wanting to engage in more productive anti-racist discussions.

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

In White Fragility, sociologist Robin DiAngelo delves into the defensive moves white people make when challenged racially, and by doing so, underscores the fact that racism is not deployed by only quote-unquote bad people.

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

In Me and White Supremacy, Layla Saad equips readers with the tools they need to examine their white privilege, assess what allyship really means, change the way they respond to race, and, ultimately, work to create social change.

This Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward

In this collection of essays and poems compiled by author Jesmyn Ward, contemporary writers, authors, and poets contemplate the past, present, and future of race in America, following in the tradition of James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Although Sister Outsider was originally published nearly 20 years ago, this essential collection of Audre Lorde’s essays and speeches on sexism, racism, classism, and ageism is just as relevant in 2020 as it was in 1984.

Well-Read Black Girl by Glory Edim

Representation matters. In Well-Read Black Girl, contemporary Black women writers, including Jesmyn Ward, Morgan Jerkins, Tayari Jones, and Lynn Nottage, share personal essays that highlight the importance of finding ourselves reflected in literature.

We Live for the We by Dani McClain

In We Live for the We, Dani McClain confronts the challenge of raising her daughter during uncertain and unjust times. For further reading on the subject of motherhood, add Reproductive Justice and Radical Reproductive Justice to your list.

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Originally published 10 years ago, The New Jim Crow has had a tremendous impact on the criminal justice reform movement. It has been cited in judicial decisions, helped inspire the creation of The Marshall Project, and has been hailed as one of the most important nonfiction books of the twenty-first century by numerous publications.

Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis

In 128 pages, Angela Y. Davis deftly proposes an affirmative answer to the question emblazoned on the front of this slim book. Davis makes the case that abolishing prison, a brutal, exploitative, and lucrative system, is in American’s best interest.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In the oft-lauded Between the World and Me, which Toni Morrison deemed “required reading,” Ta-Nehisi Coates addresses profound questions about race in America in a book that’s structured as a letter addressed to his adolescent son.

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Allow Reni Eddo-Lodge to remind us that discussions of race and racism are taking place all over the world—and Americans can learn a lot about how to talk about race at home by examining how race is talked about abroad.

I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

In I’m Still Here, Austin Channing Brown provides an eye-opening and deeply personal account of growing up Black, Christian, and female in America. ICYMI, Reese Witherspoon recently announced the must-read title as her Hello Sunshine Book Club pick for June.

If you have additional reading recommendations, please share them with us in the comments section below. We will be updating this list periodically and would love to hear from you.

MORE ON THE BLOG