Racial Justice and Reconciliation
As Epsicopalians, our Baptismal Vows ask us: “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” And in response, we offer: “We will, with God’s help.”
In other words, the veil that shields our understanding of what it means to “strive for justice and peace…” is constantly being pulled back because it is only with God’s help that we are able to see what is happening and respond with the love made known to us in Christ. Over the past several years, the systemic sin of white supremacy is being more fully unveiled as we come to realize just how pervasive it is and how deadly it continues to be for people of color in our society.
At our General Convention in 2018, the Episcopal Church named Racial Reconciliation as a primary focus for the triennium. St. John’s offers this list of educational and organizational resources from across the Episcopal Church as well as from external organizations.
If you would like to talk further about any of these resources, please contact Rev. Michelle at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com
Websites and Organizations
African Roots Library – local to Kingston
Resources on Racial Healing and Reconciliation from the Episcopal Church
Diocese of New York – Anti-Racism Committee
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
End the New JimCrow Action Network – local to Kingston/Poughkeepsie
Books
Diocese of New York Anti-Racism Committee’s Reading List
The Church Cracked Open by Stephanie Spellers (2021)
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (2019)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (2019)
You can read a transcript of Dr. Kendi’s conversation with members of the Episcopal Diocese of New York here: Kendi-Conversation-October-22-2020
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein (2017)
Living God’s Dream by Catherine Meeks (2016)
America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallis (2016)
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (2016)
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (2015)
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015)
Dear White Christians by Jennifer Harvey (2014)
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander (2010)
1491 by Charles C. Mann (2005)
Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman (1976)
Movies and Other Media
The NYT 1619 Project – a podcast
Just Mercy (2020) – movie
If Beale Street Could Talk (2019) – movie
13th (2017) – movie
Selma (2014) – movie
Dear White People (2014) – movie
12 Years a Slave (2013) – movie
Fruitvale Station (2013) – movie
American History X (1998) – movie
Malcolm X (1992) – movie
The Color Purple (1985) – movie
For Kids
Anti-Racist Baby (board book) by Ibram Kendi (2020)
Anti-Racism Starts with Me (coloring book) by Kadeesha Bryant (2020)
All Are Welcome (book) by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman (2018)