Antiracist Reads for Teens and Tweens

Maybe you’ve heard the term before, or maybe you’re wondering, “What is antiracist?” Being antiracist means pushing against the systems and ideas that claim one race is better than another. Believing that someone who is different from you is bad, or that you can only like them if they become more like you, are racist ideas. Believing that everyone is equal and worthy of love for who they are, and that our differences should be celebrated, are antiracist ideas. 

These books will help you better understand racism, its history in America and how we can all work toward antiracism. 

Written by an antiracist activist, This Book Is Anti-racist describes how racism affects you and is affected by you. You’ll learn the vocab, history, ways to claim your identity and tools to guide you on your antiracist journey.  

A funny but serious not-history book, Stamped talks about racism in the United States, past and present. It also shows how antiracists have pushed back along the way. You’ll learn how racism is part of our laws and society, and how antiracism works to change that. 

A more history-history book, We Are Not Yet Equal explains how laws in America that seem antiracist were followed by more racism and oppression of Black Americans. It will help you understand how much work is left to do to build an antiracist country. 

Told by a lawyer who fights for justice for people in prison, Just Mercy gives a view into how racism affects our justice system. From people wrongly imprisoned to teens who are put in adult jails, this book highlights how important it is to fight for changes in our laws and prison system. 

Stolen Justice describes how Black Americans have been, and still are, prevented from voting in our country. Laws and violence have made it difficult and dangerous for Black Americans to have their voices heard through elections.  

Finally, check out our Black Lives Matter: eBooks for Teens list to keep reading! And join Sound Off: Teen Summer Challenge and let us know how you are being an activist and making your voice heard. 

Which antiracist books have made an impact on you? Let us know in the comments.
