海角大神

When George Floyd鈥檚 death while in police custody prompted protests, Keidrick Roy, who is Black, and his wife, Holly, who is white, saw an opportunity to help others grow their understanding of race in America 鈥� not by marching but by reading. In June, they organized two book clubs focused on anti-racism: one was secular and the other for members of City on a Hill Church in Somerville, Massachusetts, which they attend.聽

The clubs resembled academic courses, with detailed syllabuses and guided discussions. In both cases, people joined 鈥渂ecause they had deep questions about the state of our country,鈥� says Mr. Roy, a Ph.D. candidate in American studies at Harvard University. 鈥淏eyond learning how to interact with others, I also think folks joined to understand themselves and the history of our country.鈥澛�

The Roys鈥� groups were not one-offs. After Mr. Floyd鈥檚 death in May, sales of bestselling books about race jumped as much as 6,900%, according to Forbes, and book clubs focused on anti-racism formed around the country 鈥� both in person and over Zoom. For many of these clubs, including the Roys, the goal went beyond discussion. 鈥淧eople talk about how they can apply the particular lessons we teach ... to their daily work,鈥� says Mr. Roy. In other words, book clubs have become sites not only for education but also for action.

Zoom attendance at the Roys鈥� secular book club meetings ranged from 45 to 60 people, while the church book club drew between 25 and 40 people. Thanks to these groups, a middle school teacher figured out a way to address the racial antagonism she鈥檚 observed between her students. Others have taken the lessons they鈥檝e learned to their bosses and organizations to revise hiring practices and policies. Some are bringing resources and materials to traditional book clubs they already belonged to.聽

Moving through angst to action

None of this is easy, though. And for white readers, the concept of white guilt makes it even harder 鈥� as does the daunting feeling of facing a massive undertaking when learning about racism, says Sara Brownson, who directs children鈥檚 programs at Holy Trinity Church in McLean, Virginia, and is a former teacher. She participates in two book clubs exploring anti-racism, one with 25 attendees and the other with five. Both clubs focus on Latasha Morrison鈥檚 鈥淏e the Bridge: Pursuing God鈥檚 Heart for Racial Reconciliation,鈥� which details Ms. Morrison鈥檚 experience as a Black woman at the intersection of race and faith and strives to equip readers to become ambassadors of racial reconciliation.聽

鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檝e really discovered is the difference between shame and guilt,鈥� Ms. Brownson says. 鈥淪hame is the emotion 鈥� in your head, whereas guilt is more talking about the actions that you鈥檝e [taken].鈥� A big question, she says, is whether to wallow in that guilt, which can be all-consuming. 鈥淥ne thing that I feel has really helped me is just listening to other stories and then picking things that I can do that feel attainable.鈥�

Balancing a sense of safety with the responsibility to act was important to the Roys as well. They wanted to create a space where people could engage with others without fear of making mistakes or saying the wrong thing, Mr. Roy comments. 鈥淲e also wanted to prepare folks for calling out racism when they see it. 鈥� Not exercising one鈥檚 power to walk away from the struggle for racial justice [but] to engage in the long-term, community-building initiatives.鈥�

Dorsa Amir, an Iranian American evolutionary anthropologist, emphasizes this progression from individual action to broader change, noting that book clubs are a great start because they form as collectives of interested and engaged people. 鈥淭his is kind of the beginning of community organization where, in addition to learning about the issues, there can be specific tasks and specific actions that can be taken,鈥� like protesting, writing elected representatives, or raising funds, says Dr. Amir, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Cooperation Lab at Boston College.

Prodding schools and churches to improve

In some cases, book clubs have formed purposely to prompt action. That was true for Eliza Perry, a white elementary school social studies teacher in Denver, Colorado, whose club met over the summer and focused on improving practices at her school. The nearly 30 participants chose to read 鈥淲hite Fragility,鈥� 鈥淩aising White Kids,鈥� or 鈥淲aking up White,鈥� and some joined a task force focused on implementing systemic change in areas like admissions and professional development.

鈥淧ersonal reflection is always where it starts,鈥� Ms. Perry says. But she plans to use what she has learned to inform her teaching. 鈥淎s an educator at a private school, I have so much more choice in what I 鈥� teach my kids,鈥� Ms. Perry adds.

Ms. Brownson is sharing what she鈥檚 learning as well. After joining her first book club through her church, she recognized a way to take action steps of her own and began leading an additional group. Over time, 鈥淚 see people more willing to jump into conversation 鈥� and not as quick to judge,鈥� says Ms. Brownson. 鈥淎nd I see people鈥檚 eyes becoming a little bit more open.鈥�

One focus of the book club at her church is reckoning with historical racism in 海角大神 churches in the U.S. In addition, reading 鈥淏e the Bridge鈥� with the group has opened the door for some members to share how they have experienced racism in their church recently.

That kind of openness has the potential to develop lasting connections and, perhaps, lasting change. It鈥檚 easy to go back to 鈥渓ife as usual鈥� after attending a single protest or talk, Mr. Roy notes, but 鈥減art of the point of protesting is to disrupt the ordinary, to reframe how people see the world. I began to think about what might happen if we kept the transformative spirit of protest alive through a forum that engages in these extended, long-term dialogues.鈥�

Mr. Roy is quick to add that more than talk is needed. Engaging in deep discussions about racism is necessary, but it鈥檚 not sufficient, he says. 鈥淎t the same time, we have to go out and we have to act.鈥�