The Committee on Racial Justice and Reconciliation of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church will guide the members of Dauphin Way, and ourselves as well, into deeper understanding and more effective action surrounding the issues of racial justice and human welfare, with the sole purpose of seeking to live as disciples of Jesus Christ Our Lord.

We acknowledge the profound damage that a 400-year history of racism has inflicted on our nation’s people of color. We also acknowledge that we have benefited, and continue to benefit, from the mores and systems created and maintained to justify white privilege– an inequity we cannot square with our Christian faith. We acknowledge that we are part of the problem, and we desire to be part of the solution. We pledge ourselves to undertake the hard work of reconciliation – by educating ourselves on racial history and issues; by identifying and rooting out our personal biases and insensitivity; by developing and fostering deep and meaningful relationships with persons and groups of color; by supporting efforts to dismantle structural racism; and by encouraging others to join in our journey. We make this pledge in the ultimate hope that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the perfect unity envisioned by Jesus and willed by the Father shall come to fruition.

Dauphin Way UMC Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee Reading List

Please consider this list as a resource.  There are many more books and resources on the topic of racism.  We encourage everyone to read reviews and make decisions as to what would most benefit you in your journey of understanding and reconciliation.

America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and Bridge to a New America

Jim Wallis

The False White Gospel:  Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy.

Jim Wallis

Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus

Jim Wallis

Be the Bridge

Latasha Morrison

Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for our Own

Eddie Glaude, Jr.

Between the World and Me

Ta-Nehisi Coats

The Black Church:  This is Our Story, This is Our Song.

Henry Gates Gates, Jr.

Black & White: Disrupting Racism One Friendship at a Time

John Hambrick and Teesha Hadra

Caste:  The Origins of Our Discontents

Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns

Isabel Wilkerson

The Color of Compromise:  The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism

Jamar Tisby

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America

Richard Rothstein

Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America

Frye Gaillard

A Hard Rain: America in the 1960’s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost

Frye Gaillard

The Slave Who Went to Congress

Frye Gaillard & Marti Rosner.  Jordana Haggard (illustrator)

Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation

Miroslav Volf

Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love

Will Willimon

The Fire Next Time

James Baldwin

Go and Be Reconciled: Alabama Methodists Confront Racial Injustice, 1954-1974

William Nicholas

How to Be an Antiracist

Ibram X. Kendi

Stamped From the Beginning

Ibram X. Kendi

I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership

Roger A. Crutcher

I’m Black.  I’m Christian.  I’m Methodist.

Edited by Rudy Rasmus

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

Bryan Stevenson

Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America

Michael Eric Dyson

Long Walk to Freedom

Nelson Mandela

Madison Park: A Place of Hope 

Eric Motley

Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World and Become a Good Ancestor

Layla F. Saad

So You Want to Talk About Race

Ijeoma Oluo

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

Heather McGhee

Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race

Debby White

When The Church Bell Rang Racist

Donald E. Collins

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Robin DiAngelo

White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity

Robert P. Jones

Shaking the Gates of Hell: A Search for Family and Truth in the Wake of the Civil Rights Revolution 

John Archibald

Witnessing Whiteness: Confronting White Supremacy in the American Church

 Kristopher Norris

Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm 

Robin Diangelo

Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures 

Michelle Ami Reyes

Talking About Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations

 Isaac Adams

Faithful Anti-Racism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change

 Christina Barland Edmondson & Chad Brennan

Diversity Playbook: Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations 

Michelle R. Loyd-Paige & Michelle D. Williams

Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege

Dominique Dubois Gilliard

Been in the Struggle: Pursuing an Anti Racist Spirituality  Regina Shands Stoltzfus & Tobin Miller Shearer

Anti-Racism 4REALS: Real Talk with Real Strategies in Real Time for Real Change Sheila Beckford & E. Michelle Ledder

Other Resources:

• Various You Tubes and TED talks with Robin DiAngelo (White Fragility et al.), and Bryan Stevenson (Book and movie Just Mercy) . And Robin DiAngelo on White Fragility  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ey4jgoxeU&feature=emb_rel_end
• PBS interview with Eddie Glaude, Jr., (Begin Again) re James Baldwin (go to approx. 50 minute mark) https://www.pbs.org/video/august-3-2020-pbs-newshour-full-episode-fxzqhs/
• Netflix documentary on John Lewis Good Trouble
• James Lawson’s eulogy for John Lewis             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOxpSPT5PnI
• Allies for Racial Justice (Church of the Resurrection, Adam Hamilton) https://alliesforracialjustice.org
• Bryan Stevenson TED Talk “We need to talk about an injustice.” https://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice?language=en
• “White Christian America Needs a Moral Awakening” Robert P. Jones. The Atlantic, July 28, 2020                                                          https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/white-christian-america-needs-moral-awakening 614641/

• “Being Antiracist | National Museum of African American History and Culture” https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/being-antiracist

• “Isabel Wilkerson’s World Historical Theory of Race and Caste” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/17/isabel-wilkersons-world-historical-theory-of-race-and-caste?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker

• “The South’s Fight For White Supremacy” by John Meacham in the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/23/books/review/lost-cause-meacham.html?smid=em-share

• The Black Church. This is our story. This is our song.

www.pbs.org/show/black-church

Black History Month Reading List

General Commission on Religion and Race

The United Methodist Church

Adult & Congregation

1. The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Du Bois
   A foundational text in African American literature that explores the complexities of race and identity in America.
2. “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
   A powerful letter from Coates to his son about the realities of being Black in America, blending personal narrative with history.
3. “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson
   A moving memoir that addresses issues of racial inequality in the criminal justice system, focusing on Stevenson’s work with marginalized individuals.
4. “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
   A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that tells the story of African American women in the early 20th century South, exploring themes of resilience and empowerment.
5. “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston
   A classic novel about the life of Janie Crawford, capturing the struggles and triumphs of a Black woman in early 20th century America.
6. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
   A profound narrative of Malcolm X’s life and thoughts, detailing his journey from a troubled youth to a leading figure in the civil rights movement.
7. “Heavy: An American Memoir” by Kiese Laymon
   A visceral memoir that addresses race, body image, and family, exploring the intersections of identity and personal struggle.
8. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
   The first volume of Angelou’s autobiography, chronicling her early years and the impact of racism and trauma on her life.
9. “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander
   An eye-opening examination of how systemic racism is perpetuated through the criminal justice system.
10. “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson
    A thought-provoking analysis of race in America, comparing it to caste systems in other societies and examining the implications of systemic inequality.
11. The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism” by Jemar Tisby
    An exploration of the historical role of the church in perpetuating racism and a call to action for healing and justice.

1. “I Am Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown
   A poignant reflection on the author’s experiences with race and identity, offering insights for congregational discussions on inclusivity and justice.
2. “Black Church in the African American Experiences” by C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya
   This book provides analysis of the Black Church as it relates to African Americans and modern-day black culture.
3. “My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies” by Resmaa Menakem
   A transformative exploration of racial trauma and healing, with practical guidance for individuals and communities.
4. “The Church and the Racial Divide” by Anthony B. Bradley
   This book offers a theological perspective on race and suggests ways the church can foster reconciliation and understanding.
5. “Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race” by Debby Irving
   A personal narrative that encourages congregations to reflect on their own racial identities and biases.
6. “We Speak for Ourselves: A Word from Forgotten Black America” edited by D. Watkins
   A collection of essays that gives voice to the Black experience, addressing various social justice issues that congregations can engage with.
7. “From Judgment to Hope: A Study on the Prophets” by Walter Brueggemann
   This book examines how the prophets communicated God’s judgment while also offering hope for renewal and restoration in the face of societal and political challenges. 
8. “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James H. Cone
   A powerful exploration of the connection between the cross of Christ and the history of lynching in America, challenging congregations to confront historical and systemic racism.

Children

1. “Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills” by Renée Watson
   A beautiful picture book about the life of Florence Mills, a celebrated African American singer and dancer.
2. “The Undefeated” by Kwame Alexander
   A powerful poem that celebrates the resilience of Black Americans throughout history, beautifully illustrated.
3. “Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History” by Vashti Harrison
   This book highlights the achievements of influential Black women in history with stunning illustrations.
4. “Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman” by Lesa Cline-Ransome
   A lyrical tribute to Harriet Tubman’s life before and during her work on the Underground Railroad.
5. “The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage” by Selina Alko
   A true story about the fight for love and civil rights, focusing on the landmark case of Richard and Mildred Loving.
6. “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers
   An empowering book that encourages self-acceptance and confidence, celebrating diversity and individuality.
7. “Rosa Parks: My Story” by Rosa Parks
   The autobiography of Rosa Parks, this book offers young readers insight into her life and the civil rights movement.
8. “Dream Big, Little One” by Vashti Harrison
   An inspiring board book that introduces young readers to notable Black women who made a difference in the world.
9. “The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read” by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
   The inspiring story of Mary Walker, who learned to read at the age of 116, showcasing the importance of education.
10. “Sulwe” by Lupita Nyong’o
    A beautifully illustrated story about a young girl dealing with colorism and learning to love her skin.

• Seminars
  • Frye Gillard “Hard Rain”
  • Conversations on “Caste”

• Journey to Freedom
  • Lectures presented by Rev. Frederick G. Outlaw from Toulminville-Warren Street UMC.
  • Join us every Sunday in February 2022 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dauphin Way UMC Moore Hall.