Resources on Racism

The Bible and our role as Christians in the United Methodist tradition requires of us to repent, commit to the hard work required, personally and as a community of faith to become anti-racists, and ultimately to reverse the scourge of racism. On this page you will find resources in four categories: books for personal study, curriculum materials from the greater United Methodist Church, a small group study, and blogs & podcasts. We hope you find these resources helpful to your personal and spiritual growth.

Genesis 1:27: “We are all made in God’s image and therefore have value and worth.”
Micah 6:8: “…What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Proverbs 31:8: “Speak out on behalf of the voiceless, and for the rights of all who are vulnerable.”
Luke 12:48: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”

Lead Team Statement Anti-Racism

Books for Personal Study

White Too Long – The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity - Robert P. Jones
Drawing on history, public opinion surveys, and personal experience, Robert P. Jones delivers a provocative examination of the unholy relationship between American Christianity and white supremacy, and issues an urgent call for white Christians to reckon with this legacy for the sake of themselves and the nation.

Between the World and Me - Ta Nehisi Coates
In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis.

Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Beverly Tatum
Walk into any racially-mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America.

How To Be an Antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi
Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.

Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

America's Original Sin - Jim Wallis
In America's Original Sin, Wallis offers a prophetic and deeply personal call to action in overcoming the racism so ingrained in American society. He speaks candidly to Christians--particularly white Christians--urging them to cross a new bridge toward racial justice and healing.

I'm Still Here - Austin Channing Brown
In a time when nearly every institution (schools, churches, universities, businesses) claims to value diversity in its mission statement, Austin writes in breathtaking detail about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice. Her stories bear witness to the complexity of America’s social fabric—from Black Cleveland neighborhoods to private schools in the middle-class suburbs, from prison walls to the boardrooms at majority-white organizations.

Curriculum Materials from the United Methodist Church

Dialogues on Race by Sparkhouse
The DVD and learner book combine to lead a conversational experience about race. Each topic is packed with well-researched information, but brought to life with the lived experience and stories of people at the center of the topic. A facilitator’s guide is also available.

Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love by William H. Willimon
This DVD study invites readers to consider the Gospel command to love (and not merely tolerate) those considered to be “Other.” Emphasizing the biblical mandate to receive Others in their particularity and difference as gifts and mysteries bearing the grace of God, this study also offers a strong critique of the privileged who all too often rush to the language of reconciliation and evade the huge inequalities surrounding conversations and practices dealing with xenophobia and injustice.

Vital Conversations
This video series from the General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church features contemporary theologians, sociologists, laity, clergy, and other thought-leaders dealing with challenges of race, culture, and oppression in the church and world today. Each video includes a discussion guide making this an excellent series for small groups. The entire series can be viewed online, or you can borrow the first two series on DVD.

Amplify
Amplify, the United Methodist video streaming platform, has given free access to many of their video resources on race. It includes:
• Complete multi-week studies: Fear of the Other, The Shout
• Single sessions from: Unafraid, The Faith of a Mockingbird
• Video series for the book, Black & White
• Video-only series: Building Bridges

Small Group Study

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Robin DiAngelo, a white woman, presents a meaningful book that explores white culture and the advantages white people in America have been accorded simply because of their race. This is an engaging, easily readable book that asks the reader, regardless of their experience with race relations, to ponder questions that she hopes will broaden our knowledge and understanding of ourselves and others of various races and cultures. A discussion guide is available for small group leaders