The University Libraries are heartbroken and outraged at the countless lives ended by racist acts, including the senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. These recent examples bring attention once again to longstanding and widespread injustices in our justice system and country as a whole.
The Libraries are a welcoming, inclusive, and safe resource for every person in our community. We believe that Black lives matter. Racism, violence, discrimination, oppression, and hatred are antithetical to our values, mission, and fundamental humanity, and will not be tolerated in any Libraries-affiliated spaces or services.
We at the Libraries must continue to listen, learn, and better understand injustice and the experiences of others in order to truly be a welcoming and inclusive resource for all, and are dedicated to doing the work necessary to be better allies of and advocates for the victims of injustice.
As part of this effort, we are sharing a series of resources and voices discussing social justice, racism and systemic racism, inequity, and injustice for anyone wishing to better educate themselves about these issues, or seek out perspectives and voices on them.
These resources include information on:
- the history of injustices that have led to the current protests
- the goals sought by some protesters
- justice-oriented organizations
- books and other resources to deepen an understanding of social justice issues
- self-care resources
We thank Miami University’s leadership for their condemnation of racism and bigotry and commitment to inclusion, and share in their resolve to unceasingly work toward a Miami University that serves all.
Antiracism and social justice resources
Curated by the Miami University Libraries
These resources are not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list, but rather an introduction to discovery for anyone seeking to better inform and educate themselves.
Books
- How to be an antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi
- White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
- So You Want to Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo
- Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Stamped from the Beginning - Ibram X. Kendi
- The New Jim Crow - Michelle Alexander
- They Can’t Kill Us All - Wesley Lowery
- Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? - Mumia Abu-Jamal
- When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir - Patrisse Khan Cullors & asha bandele
Antiracist reading lists
- Be an Anti Racist Reading List curated by San Francisco Public Library staff
- An Anti-Racist Reading List by The Book People
- Reading list compiled by Ibram X. Kendi , author of two of the titles listed above
- Stop Asking People Of Color To Explain Racism–Pick Up One Of These Books Instead
Articles and other resources
- The 1619 Project - Project from the New York Times Magazine that “aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.”
- Talking About Race - National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Libraries Respond - Reference & User Services Association
- How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change
- 2 public health crises have collided in the protests over George Floyd’s death - Vox
- My Responsibility to Fight Racism (R. David Lankes, director of the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science)
- Raising Race Conscious Children | Resource for Talking About Race & Diversity
- Institutional Racism: A Syllabus (JSTOR)
- A Conversation on Race - The New York Times
- Beyond the Hashtag: How to take anti-racist action (Teen Vogue)
- How White People Can Hold Each Other Accountable to Stop Institutional Racism (Teen Vogue)
- Black People Need Stronger White Allies — Here’s How You Can Be One (Refinery29)
- Authoritarian State or Inclusive Democracy? 21 Things We Can Do Right Now (Southern Poverty Law Center)
Podcasts
- The Daily: “ A Weekend of Pain and Protest ” (41 mins)
- Code Switch: “ A Decade of Watching Black People Die ” (22 mins) New York Times: The 1619 Podcast (30-45 minute episodes)
- The University of Alabama: Speaking of Race (33 mins)
- The Nod (25-30+ minute episodes)
- Invisibilia: “The Confrontation ” (53 mins)
- Reveal: “ Monumental Lies ” (56 mins)
- Reveal: “ Reproducing Racism ” (51 mins)
- This American Life: “The Problem We All Live With” - Prologue , Part One , Part Two
- This American Life: “Cops See it Differently (2015)” - Part One , Part Two
Being informed about where you spend your money
Purchasing from Black-owned businesses
- List of Black-owned Cincinnati businesses
- 47 Black-owned bookstores that You Can Support
- The app Official Black Wall Street can help find Black-owned businesses near you
Donating
- Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
- Reclaim the Block
- Minnesota Healing Justice Network
- Black Lives Matter
- Reclaim the Block
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- Showing Up for Racial Justice
- Campaign Zero
- The Loveland Foundation
- The Marshall Project
- Color of Change
- Bail Out Fund Google Doc
- National Bail Out Fund
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- After an outpouring of support, these organizations are encouraging donations to other initiatives.
- Black Visions Collective
- Their list of places to donate
- Minnesota Freedom Fund
- Black Visions Collective
How to contact your local police and crime commissioner
- Hamilton County Chiefs of Police Association - Membership
- Butler County
- Fairfield
- Police (Hamilton)
- Middletown (right column)
- Monroe
- Oxford
- West Chester
Petitions
- Justice for Breonna Taylor
- Justice for Tony McDade
- Justice For Big Floyd
- Justice for Ahmaud Arbery
- Hands Up Act
Resources for Children
-
- Your Kids aren’t too Young to Talk about Race: A Resource Guide
- 10 Antiracist Books for Young Adults
- 9 Children’s Books about Police Brutality
- Raising Race Conscious Children: A Resource for Talking to Children about Race
- The Conscious Kid
- Red Balloon Bookshop (in the Twin Cities) reading list for children
- 45 Black Young Adult Novels to Add to your TBR
- Anti-Racism for Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide to Fighting Hate
Listen to Black voices
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi
- Bree Newsom Bass
- Yvette Nicole Brown
- Rachel Cargle
- Charlene Carruthers
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Brittany Packnett Cunningham
- Ava Duvernay
- Matthew Cherry
- Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Ashley Ford
- Roxane Gay
- Erika Hart
- Marc Lamont Hill
- Myisha T. Hill
- Akilah Hughes
- N. K. Jemisin
- Van Jones
- Ibram X. Kendi
- Bernice A. King
- Ijeoma Oluo
- Trayvon Free
- Candace Reels
- April Reign
- Layla F. Saad
- Bakari Sellers
- Clint Smith
- Michael W. Twitty
- Jesmyn Ward
- Kendriana Washington
- Samuel Sinyangwe
- Jamelle Bouie
- Michael Harriot
- André M. Carrington
- Yamiche Alcindor
- Benjamin Dixon
- Ashley Nicole Black
- Nikole Hannah-Jones
Thinking about the news
- News hoaxes are pervasive on social media. Buzzfeed is keeping a list of known hoaxes related to the ongoing protests
Mental health / self-care resources
- Tips for Self-Care: When Police Brutality Has You Questioning Humanity and Social Media Is Enough
- Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Struggling With This Very Painful Week
- Emotionally Restorative Self Care: People of Color - Black People - African Americans [video]
- Self-Care Resources - POC Online Classroom
- Self-Care for People of Color after Psychological Trauma