The National Day of Racial Healing on Jan. 19 is a time to celebrate racial differences that make our communities vibrant, acknowledge past wrongs and deep racial divisions that exist in America, and commit to increasing understanding, communication and respect for one another so that we can begin making changes as a community.
The annual observance is hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
We at NCW Libraries are committed to advocating for and promoting social justice, anti-racism, and racial healing both internally as we look at our operations, hiring practices, and staff training, as well as externally through our public programs and services.
Here are ways we can all begin the work of racial healing in our families, social circles and communities.
Watch and Learn
Watch the National Day of Racial Healing virtual event on Jan. 19.
Find Books and Be Inspired
The organization We Need Diverse Books has compiled lists of suggested reading to help us begin the journey of racial healing.
- 31 Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance from Embrace Race
- 31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism, and Resistance from The Conscious Kid
- 7 Essential Books to Read That Will Educate You and Your Kids on Anti-Racism by Laura Galvin
- An Antiracist Reading List by Ibram X. Kendi
- An Essential Reading Guide For Fighting Racism by Arianna Rebolini
- Anti-racism Bookshop List by Ideal Bookshelf
- Anti-racist book resources from Left Bank Books
- Black Stories Matter Bookshop List by Aminah Mae Safi
- Books I Loved in 2020 by Black Authors Bookshop List by Amy Spalding
- Books on anti-racism that you can read right now by Eric Webb
- Don’t Just Read About Racism—Read Stories About Black People Living by Nic Stone
- How to Talk to Kids About Race: Books and Resources That Can Help by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
- Queer YA Books by Black Authors Spreadsheet from YA Pride
- Several Antiracist Books Are Selling Out. Here’s What Else Black Booksellers and Publishers Say You Should Read from TIME
- We Read Too App: Books by and for people of color
Find Books at NCW Libraries
Look no further than your local library to get started. Here are some books available from NCW Libraries’ branches.
Adults — The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, available in print, audiobook, and on Hoopla and Overdrive; and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, available in print, audiobook, ebook, and eAudiobook.
Teens — Stamped by Jason Reynolds, available in print, audiobook, ebook, and eAudiobook; and March by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, available in print and audiobook, and on Hoopla and Overdrive.
Children — The Colors of Us by Karen Katz; and Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, available in print and ebook.
Engage Your Inner Circle
Talk about race and racism with your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. When possible, include people from different backgrounds and cultures in the conversation.
Use Social Media
Show your support for racial healing on your social media networks by using the hashtag #HowWeHeal.