Below are books recommended by individual members and friends of our SEJ Work Group. To suggest a book, please use the comments box at the bottom of the page. Include the book title, author(s), publication year, and a 2-3 sentence description of why you found the book helpful, especially in terms of being advocates for equity in education.
THE LIST
Adichie, C. N. (2013). Americanah. New York: Anchor.
Alexander, M. (2012). The new Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness. New York: The New Press.
Alexander argues that the mass incarceration of men of color, primarily rooted in inequitable drug enforcement and policy, constitutes a new Jim Crow system. In the book’s foreword, Cornel West states, “The New Jim Crow is a grand wake-up call in the midst of a long slumber of indifference to the poor and vulnerable. This indifference promotes a superficial ethic of success–money, fame, and pleasure–that leaves too many well-adjusted to injustice. In short, this book is a genuine resurrection of the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. amid the confusion of the Age of Obama…”
Biss, E. (2009). Notes from no man’s land: American essays. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press.
Dawson, G., & Glaubman, R. (2000). Life is so good. New York: Random House.
“Things will be all right. People need to hear that. Life is good, just as it is. There isn’t anything I would change about my life.”—George Dawson. In this remarkable book, George Dawson, a slave’s grandson who learned to read at age 98 and lived to the age of 103, reflects on his life and shares valuable lessons in living, as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the entire sweep of the twentieth century. Richard Glaubman captures Dawson’s irresistible voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, hardships, and happiness. From segregation and civil rights, to the wars and the presidents, to defining moments in history, George Dawson’s description and assessment of the last century inspires readers with the message that has sustained him through it all: “Life is so good. I do believe it’s getting better.”
Jealous, A. T., & Haskell, C. T. (Eds.) (2013). Combined destinies: Whites sharing grief about racism. Dulles, VA: Potomac Books
Marx, S. (2006). Revealing the invisible: Confronting racism in teacher education. New York: Routledge.
Steele, C. (2011). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do. New York: W. W. Norton.
Steele presents several research studies related to stereotype threat that challenge how we think about academic achievement. He concludes with research and concrete suggestions in how to counteract stereotype threat. On page 215, he states, “…unless you make people feel safe from the risk of these identity predicaments in identity-integrated settings, you won’t succeed in reducing group achievement gaps or in enabling people from different backgrounds to work comfortably and well together.”
