In light of the murder of countless black men at the hands of police, many Americans have been seeking ways to become active from the confines of their quarantine. While it does not make an immediate difference, educating yourself and seeking understanding is a powerful thing to do.
The Paw Print recommends two books, written in different eras and by drastically different authors, but equally relevant.
Stamped From the Beginning, author and professor Ibram X. Kendi examines the history of antiracism, assimilation, and abolitionist anti-racist movements in America. It begins with the early history of slavery and how the ideologies crafted to justify slavery remain in effect today. Kendi suggests how to become an effective anti-racist, with suggested pathways towards action.
A Promised Land, a book by President Barack Obama, was released this November and brought the reader into Obama’s journey from a carefree teenager to the leader of the free world. The maze of racial history he must navigate, not only in America but in himself as well. See behind the scenes, immerse yourself in his nail-biting campaigns, and join meetings in the Situation Room as he explains the nuance of leadership in an increasingly divisive America. These two books will provide a clarified and sympathetic understanding of America’s complex race relations.
