Buying a book isn't enough

“White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”

by Robin DiAngelo

The right book can enlighten you with new perspectives and ideas, and give you a clearer understanding of them.

But you have to actually take the time to read it.

I picked up a copy of “White Fragility” a few months after Kerri Miller interviewed Robin DiAngelo in 2018, but it sat on the bookshelf.

I’m consistently behind on my reading, with plenty of books I hope to read filling the various shelves and end tables in my apartment.

Following the killing of George Floyd and the protests happening around the world, I was lucky to have a copy to start reading right away. Right now, the books that keep topping the latest anti-racism reading lists — like “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi, and “White Fragility” — might be hard to find at a local bookstore. But don’t give up the search.

Both St. Paul Public Library and Hennepin County Library have lists of resources to help understand systemic white supremacy and are offering free e-book copies of those books. Publishers are also offering free access to movies and book titles to foster more discussions.

But it doesn’t have to be a bestseller to help your understanding.

“It really depends on how you learn and where you are,” said Jessica Zillhart, a librarian at St. Paul Public Library. “If I were giving this advice, I’d say ‘just start. It’s not going to be the perfect book, nothing is going to be perfect, but just start.’”

Maybe a TED Talk video will get you started, or a poem. Reading a young adult book with a teen in your life might be a great way to open discussions, or you could find a children’s book to help your kids understand this moment.

Find anything to help you understand systemic racism — because it doesn’t help to leave this issue sitting on the bookshelf.