This semester, the Structural Racism Programming Subcommittee of the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Institutional Equity and Anti-Racism Committee (IEARC) ran the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Book Club. The club read by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates has been called “the single best writer on the subject of race in the United States” by the New York Observer and has provided students with an insightful look into how racial trauma can impact their future clients.Â
As we continue our journeys of learning, the committee has put together a list of additional readings related to structural racism – the embedding of discriminatory practices within societal institutions that result in privileging white people while perpetuating deeply ingrained inequities among historically marginalized groups. By facilitating a greater understanding of the historical and contemporary systemic issues facing marginalized populations, we hope to encourage culturally responsive practices in our field of psychology.Â
Check your local libraries and favorite booksellers for purchasing and borrowing options. Titles marked with * are available to current students through the Moustakas Johnson Library.Â
Non-Fiction Book Recommendations:
Between the World and Me (2015) by Ta-Nehisi Coates *
Stride Toward Freedom the Montgomery Story (1958) by Martin Luther King, Jr.Â
Superior: The Return of Race Science (2019) by Angela Saini
Fatal Invention (2011) by Dorothy Rovers
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice that Shapes What We See, Think, and Do (2020) by Jennifer I. Eberhardt, PhD
Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination (2017) by Herb Boyd
Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat From Racial Equity (2010) by Tim Wise *
How to be an Antiracist (2019) by Ibram X. Kendi, PhDB
It’s Time to Talk (and Listen): How to Have Constructive Conversations About Race, Class, Sexuality, Ability, & Gender in a Polarized World (2019) by Anatasia S. Kim, PhD, Alicia Del Prado, PhD *
Metaracism: How Systemic Racism Devastates Black Lives―and how We Break Free (2024) by Tricia Rose, PhDH
Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (Without a Bullhorn) (2023) by Omkari WilliamsÂ
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing (2017) by Joy DeGruy, PhD *
Racism Not Race (2021) by Joseph L. Graves Jr. and Alan Goodman
Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Race (2015) by Derald Wing Sue, PhD *
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (2018) by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
Fiction Book Recommendations:
Black Bottom Saints: A Novel (2020) by Alice Randall
Homegoing (2016) by Yaa Gyasi
Such a Fun Age (2019) by Kiley Reid
The Turner House: A Novel (2015) by Angela Flournoy
The Underground Railroad (2016) by Colson Whitehead
Hot Comb (2019) by Ebony Flowers
Documentaries & Podcast Recommendations:
Between the World and Me on .
Last Days of Chinatown *
Racial Microaggressions: Impact and Implications for Counseling Practice featuring Derald Wing Sue *
Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America on
by Nikole Hannah-Jones
13th on
Stamped from the Beginning on
podcast by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD
podcast by Tim Kiska, PhD
Special thanks to the Structural Racism Programming Subcommittee (Dana Erickson, Rachel Melton, Carrie Pyeatt, Georgia Seely, Stephanie Swanberg, Kinsey Tekiele, and Candi Wilson) for their contributions to this post.