Over the past few weeks, we, as DC students and American citizens, have witnessed political chaos, insurrection, and the Inauguration of a President and the first-ever female and multiracial Vice President. With so much going on in the nation, the news can be overwhelming —the prospect of finding trusted sources daunting. We hope that this list of books, articles, and video material will be of interest to Potomac students and others in our community. You may even find material that would be useful in your classes. We have included important works on anti-racism and our democracy. Our hope is that you browse through this list, find a work that speaks to you, and learn something new. Enjoy reading, watching, and growing! 

Need a good book to learn about combating racism? Check out these titles: 

1. The works of Author Ibram X Kendi, https://www.ibramxkendi.com/ 
   1. “How to Be an Antiracist”
   2. “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America”
   3. “Be Antiracist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection and Action”
2. “The Hate U Give,” Angie Thomas 
3. Books to Read to Educate Yourself About Anti-Racism and Race, Time
4. Nic Stone: Read Books About Black People Living—Not Just Racism, Cosmopolitan

From Inauguration Day to the Black Lives Matter Movement, these online resources are a great place to start learning: 

1. Blacklivesmatter.com 
2. Your guide to Inauguration Day, PBS 
3. Black poetry, high school students, and audio recordings, Cultural Front
4. Excessive or reasonable force by police? Research on law enforcement and racial conflict, Journalist’s Resource
5. A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza, thefeministwire.com 
6. Black Lives Matter explained: The history of a movement, Channel 4 News 
7. 2020 is not 1968: To understand today’s protests, you must look further back, National Geographic 
8. 11 charts that track the progress America has made in racial equality – Business Insider 
9. Opal Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives Matter: ‘I do this because we deserve to live’, The Guardian 
10. A Conversation on Race, New York Times
11. Confronting Racist Objects, New York Times  
12. “A letter to my white teachers,” , Instagram
13. A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza, thefeministwire.com 
14. Hyphen-Nation, New York Times  

Stick your popcorn in the microwave and get ready to watch and listen with these video options: 

1. How voter intimidation and suppression have evolved since the 15th Amendment, Washington Post 
2. President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Address (Full Speech), NBC News
3. Barack Obama 2013 Inauguration Speech – Full Speech – Second Inauguration, Wall Street Journal 
4. Barack Obama inaugural address: Jan. 20, 2009, CBS News 
5. Just the Facts: Police and Guns in America | Crime by the Numbers, A&E
6. “Do the Right Thing”, directed by Spike Lee
7. “Selfmade,” directed by Kasi Lemmons
8. “Who killed Malcom X?”, directed by Rachel Dretzin and Phil Bertelsen

Is the media overwhelming? Here’s how to digest it: 

1. Home of the Media Bias Chart, Ad Fontes Media (Version 5.0)
2. Balanced news via media bias ratings for an unbiased news perspective, AllSides   

Thank you to Upper School Librarian Rebecca Brooks for her valuable help in compiling this list of resources.