St. John’s Episcopal Church
207 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401

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

Union of Black Episcopalians

Diocese of New York – Anti-Racism Committee

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

End the New JimCrow Action Network – local to Kingston/Poughkeepsie

Sacred Ground

Equal Justice Initiative

Poor People’s Campaign

Center for Racial Healing

Black Lives Matter

 

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)