YA Books Supporting the BLM Movement
- lucysbookishbabble
- Jul 3, 2020
- 3 min read
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, thousands of people across the country have stood against white supremacy, police brutality, and supported the Black Lives Matter Movement through protests and virtual activism. Although those are both vital parts of the movement, to create long-term change we need to educate ourselves. The books I have listed are meant to educate and inspire conversations about race, privilege, and justice.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
If you have only seen the movie adaption of THUG, I totally recommend checking out the book. Starr has two different worlds, her primarily white private school, and her hood neighborhood. And she does a pretty great job of keeping them separate until on their way home from a party her childhood best friend is shot and killed by a police officer. After this, she is forced to see the big issues regarding privilege in her school and the injustices in her neighborhood. Not only is this book profoundly important and relevant, but it is also beautifully written.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53522062-the-hate-you-give?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=NtpyrFiBXj&rank=2
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Reynolds and Kiely do a really great job with this multinarrative novel. It focuses on two high school boys, Rashad an African American ROTC member and artist, and Quinn a white basketball player. When Rashad is assaulted by a police officer for an accident Quinn is a witness, and the police officer is his best friend’s big brother. The story follows Quinn and Rashad working through their thoughts on privilege and police brutality. I think the emphasis on how we see police and how the system is messed up is really important right now.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
I think what sets this book apart is the way it handles stereotypes based on race in America. Justyce McAllister is a senior in high school getting ready to go to an Ivy League school, and it isn’t because he is a minority. It’s because he is a talented member of the debate team, a straight-A student, and worked hard to get in. Like his classmates who assumed about him, a police officer assumes he is guilty and handcuffs and throws Justyce to the ground in an incident. To help himself cope Justyce starts writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but he starts to wonder if his teachings can still hold up today.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Another story from Angie Thomas, On the Come Up takes place in the same universe as THUG, but this story is about Bri. Bri is an up and coming rap artist in her community but struggles to make it out of her neighborhood. Her father was an underground rap legend but passed away when she was a baby. This leaves her mom to provide for the family, but after her mom losses, her job money because of a rising issue. OTCU isn’t as upfront about race as THUG, rather it talks a lot about poverty and the way drugs affect a community. Bri also has to face prejudice because she is a teenage girl in the music industry. Lastly, this book has been picked up for a movie adaption!
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
If you can please buy these titles to support African American authors and African American stories. Also, donate to organizations such as Reclaim the Block, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and From Privilege to Progress.
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