Dismantling Racism in Action
The Old Presbyterian Meeting House upholds all people as children of God. We are called to dismantle systems that perpetuate poverty, racism, and other forms of discrimination. We seek to build a just and beloved community.
Thank you to everyone who has been actively involved in ongoing discussions as we work as a congregation to dismantle racism. Here are some books, articles, videos, podcasts, and organizations to help you continue the conversation and work of being an anti-racist and social justice for all. We will also share information through our OPMH Community on #Connect and DRT Group in Realm. This is by no means a perfect or exhaustive list.
Upcoming Events
Joseph McCoy Remembrance The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) is a city-wide initiative dedicated to helping Alexandria understand its history of racial terror hate crimes and to work toward creating a welcoming community bound by equity and inclusion.
Last August, some Meeting House members attended a ceremony to remember the lynching of Benjamin Thomas in 1899. There are now two documented lynchings that occurred in Alexandria. They are a blot on the history of the city, but by acknowledging them in community we can do the work of reconciliation.
The second known lynching occurred on April 23, 1897. Joseph McCoy, a 19 year old Black man, was hanged from a lamppost in Alexandria, on the corner of Cameron and Lee Streets. This year, on Saturday April 23, the Alexandria Remembrance Project will commemorate the 125th anniversary of this lynching with a ceremony.
Please join the OPMH Dismantling Racism Team at the April 23 event at Market Square at 3:00 PM.
Resources
Talking with Our Children about Race—Wendy Claire Barrie
A Short Family Guide to Supporting Racial Justice Now—Wendy Claire Barrie
10 Tips for Teaching and Talking to Kids about Race—Embrace Race
Talking to Children after Racial Incidents—University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education
Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice—Teaching Tolerance
Talking about Race—National Museum of African American History & Culture
Talking About Race and Racism with Children—Christine V. Hides
Resources for Addressing Race and Racism with Young Children—Lovery
You’re Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup—Pretty Good Design
Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America—Jennifer Harvey
Multicultural and Social Justice Board Books for Children—Social Justice Books
Books to Teach White Children and Teens How to Undo Racism and White Supremacy—Charis Books & More
31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance—Embrace Race
Anti-Racism Resources by Forming Faithful Families
11 Children’s Books to Teach Your Kid about Racism and Discrimination—Essence
The Conversations We Must Have with Our White Children—On Being
Resources for Talking about Racism with Youth
The 2018 Ultimate List of Diverse Children’s Books—Here Wee Read
Black Lives Matter videos for kids—YouTube
30 books to help you talk to your kids about racism—Today’s Parent
The ABCs of Diversity: Helping Kids (and Ourselves!) Embrace our Differences—Carolyn B. Helsel & Y. Joy Harris-Smith
These Books Can Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids—NY Times
Black Lives Matter Instructional Library—audio children’s books in English & Spanish
Sesame Street Racism Town Hall—CNN & Sesame Street
Netflix’s ‘Bookmarks’ Is A Great Show To Share The Black Experience With Your Kids—Yahoo!
Picture Books for Antiracists—Virginia Theological Seminary
If you are purchasing books, please consider ordering from a black-owned, independent bookstore. To order from a local black-owned bookstore, try Harambee Books and Artworks in Alexandria or Loyalty Bookstore in Silver Spring, MD. For children’s books we recommend looking at Puppy Dogs and Ice Cream, and Scholastic Books.
Adult Books
How to be an Antiracist—Ibram X. Kendi
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism—Robin DiAngelo
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness—Michelle Alexander
Interfaith Racial and Economic Justice Book List
Stakes Is High: Race, Faith, and Hope for America—Michael W. Waters
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness—Austin Channing Brown
So You Want to Talk About Race—Ijeoma Uluo
“Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity—Beverly Daniel Tatum
Raising White Kids: Bringing up Children in a Racially Unjust America—Jen Harvey
Children’s Books
All People Are Beautiful by Vincent Kelly
Be a King. Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs’ Dream by Carole Boston Weatherford
The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko
Gator, Gator, Gator! by Daniel Bernstrom
I am Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer
The “Lola” series by Anna McQuinn
My Rainbow Book of Everyday Prayers by Su Box
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Stamped (for Kids) by
“Rosa Loves” series by Jessica Spanyol
The Library Book by Tom Chapin
We Are Alike, We Are Different by Janice Behrens
We Shall Overcome by Bryan Collier
Dismantling Racism—Resources from National Capital Presbytery
Racial Justice Resources—PC(USA)
Support Justice in Policing Act—PC(USA) Office of Public Witness, part of GA’s anti-racism call
Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources—extensive list with various levels of stages of white identity development, resources and what to do next
Read, Watch, Listen and Learn: a curated collection on combating racism and advancing inequality—Yale Alumni web site
Racial Justice Resources—St. David’s Episcopal Church, Austin, TX
Becoming Beloved Community—movement/program of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement
An Essential Reading Guide for Fighting Racism—Buzz Feed News
8 Lessons from: “The Future of Solidarity: How White People Can Support the Movement of Black Lives”—The Catalyst Project
How to be an Ally to the Black Community—Washington Post
Justice in June—cultivates a community rooted in truth, inspires action and is committee to awareness
26 ways to be in the struggle, beyond the streets—Disability Visibility Project
Alexandria Community Remembrance Project—”Helping Alexandria understand its history of racial terror hate crimes and to work toward creating a welcoming community bound by equity and inclusion”
Race and the Church—A Group Watch Series and Live Discussion—NEXT Church
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man—Emmanuel Acho
Where Do We Go from Here?—Oprah & OWN Spotlight—free on Amazon Prime
Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to be an Antiracist—Brené Brown Unlocking Us Podcast
‘Interrupt the System’: Robin DiAngelo on ‘White Fragility’ and Anti-Racism—NPR podcast
Seeing White—podcast—14-Part Series (as part of Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies and “Scene of the Radio”)
Code Switch—NPR podcast
“Presbyterians and Race” Walk -Video of a reflective walk in Old Town to sites that mark key moments in the story of Presbyterians, White supremacy, and Black resistance from Colonial days to the present.
Black-Owned Independent Book Stores—Literary Hub
27 Black-Owned Bookstores You Can Order Online From Now—Bustle
Manumission Tour Company—Alexandria’s Black History Tours
Bail Bond Projects:
Tutoring with Alexandria Tutoring Consortium—volunteers needed for summer online tutoring & more
Michaels Desserts—Bowie, MD teenager—for every dessert you buy, one is given to a person in need
22 Black-Owned Businesses in Alexandria to Support Right Now—visitALX
Register to Vote—register and/or encourage others to register to vote in Virginia
Complete the 2020 Census—Federal and state dollars are allocated and based on census counts
Prejudice vs. Racism: A Racial Equity Workshop (free download from the (PC (USA)’s Presbyterian Women)
Justice in America (podcast from The Appeal)
White Lies (NPR podcast)
Policing the Black Man—Angela J. Davis
The Color of Law—Richard Rothstein
What I Learned from Cancer—Ibram X. Kendi (The Atlantic)
Antiracism, Health Equity, and a Post-COVID Future—Ibram X. Kendi (interview with for Ethics Talk, journal editor in chief, Dr Audiey Kao, AMA Journal of Ethics)
Systemic Racism Explained (YouTube video for younger viewers)
13 Books to Read Right Now If You Want to Be Anti-Racist (Chalice Press)
What is Owed (New York Times Magazine)
Unearthing the Roots of Systemic Racism (INSEAD)
Alexandria Library