NWL Recommends: Readings on Anti-Racism

In lieu of a chapter meetings in August, NWL-NYC put together a reading anti-racism reading list. Some of our members have shared their recommendations:

The Black Woman: An Anthology – Edited by Toni Cade Bambara

Recommended by Carol G.:

“The articles by Frances Beale and Patricia Robinson are triply militant against white supremacy, imperialism and male supremacy so the theory the articles lay out is critically important for the rise of women's liberation. Most were written well before 1970 proving that Black Women's Liberation was on time (and even before) white women got feminism thus refuting the “whitewash” of women's liberation that for years made it appear a “white” thing when it wasn't.”

Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life – Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields

Recommended by Jenny B.:

“ This collection of essays upends conventional wisdom, arguing that what we think of as race today was produced by an elite that needed to control labor. The Fields sisters, a historian and an anthropologist, trace how racism created the illusion of race in the U.S. In particular, Chapter four and the conclusion are highly recommended. You will never think about race and racism in the same way.”

The Autobiography of Malcolm X – As told to Alex Haley

Recommended by Allison G.:

“ A page-turning account of Malcolm's life, learning and struggle for and love of Black people. Foundational for understanding Black liberation politics and how we evolve as organizers and share our learning process with others.”