10 Books About Race Non-Black People Should Be Reading Right Now

The events of the past few weeks have only solidified the fact that white people have so much more to do when it comes to fighting racism. Even white people who identify as progressive, liberal, and non-racist have failed the Black community in terms of actively dismantling the systems that have resulted in the ever-mounting list of deaths at the hands of police brutality, mass incarceration, and poverty. The killing of George Floyd has ignited a movement in which white people and non-Black people are being held accountable for their inactivism. It can feel intimidating to know where to start, but you can donate, protest, and, most importantly, educate yourself on how to be a better ally.

There’s no guidebook for solving racism in 2020. However, there are multiple insightful resources, published throughout the past century, that will help non-Black people understand the history behind the current movement, as well the roles they can assume moving forward. Fiction and nonfiction works by authors of color stitch a tapestry of pain, injustice, and action that both sombers and inspires the reader towards progress. 

These are ten essential books that all non-Black people should be reading right now about race.