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Friday, June 5, 2020

Reading Black Lives in Mississippi

Our nation is in turmoil. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by policemen in Minneapolis. His name was added to the seemingly unending list of Black people killed by those in power, and America responded by taking to the streets in protest. If you, too, are appalled by the continued violence against our friends and neighbors, you might be asking yourself what you can do locally to contribute. You can support protesters; Jackson specifically has a protest scheduled tomorrow, but they've been held across the state. You can donate to groups like Black Lives Matter, MS and Mississippi Bail Fund Collective. And you can read.

books are stacked on a small table in front of library shelves. fake magnolia behind stacked books. the books are death of innocence, ever is a long time, native guard, midnight without a moon, on the come up, and granddaddy's gift


As a library worker and book lover, I've been reading about the #OwnVoices movement for several years. #OwnVoices books are diverse books written by those who are members of that same diverse group. If you would like to learn more about the experience of Black people in Mississippi, consider reading any or all of the selection of Mississippi #OwnVoices books below. Most are by Black Mississippi authors, but a few are by Black authors who set their books in Mississippi. (For our collection, we identify Mississippi authors as those who are either born here in the state or have lived here for at least a period of four years. I've kept the same parameters here.) These books address racism, poverty, lynching, murder, and the oppression of Black people in Mississippi. Read them, think about them, and discuss them with your friends and family.

Picture Books
Middle Grade
Young Adult
Adult Fiction
Comic Books
Poetry
Biography/Memoir
Nonfiction
We hope you can learn something new or shift your perspective by reading these books. If you know of a Black Mississippi author who should be on this list, please let us know in the comments. If you  want to explore beyond Mississippi books, consider the books and resources on these lists:
 Thank you as always for reading. Stay safe out there.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this post and this list. Wonderful resource for all ages.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I'm glad to see this list of great books to increase my understanding.

    ReplyDelete

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