Celebrating Black Genius with CFM
A very small selection of resources in celebration of Black History – which we celebrate not only in February but every month – curated by the Creating FreedomMovementsteam.Thislistrepresentsfolkswhohaveinspiredus(some ofwhomareonourteam!)–includingactivists,artists,healersandscholars,as our own work sits at those intersections – and we encourage you to go down rabbit holes with the items on this list, and through your own searches that mightgointocompletelydifferentdirections.ThecontributionsofBlackgenius tothisworldexistineveryimaginablefield,afterall!
To Listen:
ReclaimingUGLYwithVanessaRochelleLewis(belovedCFMfacilitatorand formerCoreTeammember!) onFindingOurWayPodcastwithPrentis Hemphill(whoseembodimentworkandbook,WhatitTakestoHeal,wealso recommend!)
StonobyT.CarlisRoberts(belovedCFMfacilitator!)
EmbracingDisabilityandTurningitintoaCause–IndiaHarville(belovedCFM facilitator,AccessandCareTeamMember!)onNeurostrongerPodcast
HowtoSurvivetheEndoftheWorld–Podcastwithadriennemareebrownand AutumnBrown
Unbound,LiberationandtheBirthoftheMeTooMovementTaranaBurkeonthe UnlockingUsPodcast
CenteringBlackSurvivorsinGender-BasedViolenceWorkFechiOnyegbule, ChloeKemeni,andNotishaMassaquoiontheGenderJusticePodcast
IʼveBeentotheMountaintop(Speech)byRev.MartinLutherKingJr.
TheArtistʼsStruggleforIntegrity(Speech)byJamesBaldwin
TheMovementMusicofResistanceRevivalChorusandSweetHoneyintheRock
To Watch:
RootsandJuneteenthbyIntheSpirit(featuringbelovedCFMalumnandCare TeamMember,ZahraBaker)
MayaAngelou:Live&Unplugged FullrecordingofDr.Angelouʼs1987Televised Special.YoucanalsowatchIKnowWhyTheCagedBirdSings(1979),the dramatizedfilmadaptationofDr.Angelouʼsautobiography!
SigningBlackInAmerica(2020) Justlikespokenlanguages,signlanguages havedialects.And,checkouttheSigningBlackinAmerica:ViewerDiscussion Guide(PDF). SigningBlackinAmericaisthesecondinstallmentoftheTalking BlackinAmerica5-PartFilmSeries.
RobertaFlack(2023),fromtheAmericanMastersSeriesbyPBS.
ToniMorrison:ThePiecesIAm(2019) artfulandintimatemeditationonthe lifeandworksoftheacclaimednovelist,ToniMorrison.
GoingToMars:TheNikkiGiovanniProject(2023)—Thisaward-winning documentarytravelsthroughtimeandspacetorevealtheenduringinfluenceof poetNikkiGiovanni.
13th,afilmbyAvaDuVernay,documentingtheconnectionofthe13th amendmenttothemodern-dayprisonindustrialcomplex.
BlackIs,BlackAinʼt(1995),exploringtheBlackidentity,finalfilmofMarlon Riggs.
MAJOR!(2015),documentaryfilmaboutMissMajorGriffin-Gracey,founderof TransGender-Varient,andIntersex(TGI)JusticeProject.
Still/Here(Dance/TheaterPiece)ChoreographedbyBillT.Jones,excerpts showninthisinterviewwithBillMoyers.
Revelations(DancePerformance)ChoreographedbyAlvinAiley.
Love,PowerandLiberationAngelaDavis,LamaRodOwensandPrentis Hemphillinconversation.
ThePurposeofPower,AliciaGarzainconversationwithCommonwealthClub
TheMedeaProject,atheaterensembleofincarceratedwomenledbyRhodessa Jones.
Dance(achildrenʼsbookbyBillT.JonesandSusanKuklin,readaloudinthis YouTubevideobySusanKuklin)
NikkiGiovanniandJamesBaldwininconversationonSOUL!
BrotherOutsider,afilmaboutcivilrightsactivistBayardRustin.
TheHistoryofReproductiveJusticebyInOurOwnVoice.
AbolitionGeography(Panel)withRuthWilsonGilmore.
Black&LGBTQ+:AttheintersectionofRace,SexualOrientation&Identity(2021), Webinarfeaturingapanelofexpertswhosharedinformationandinsightsabout thehealthandwell-beingofAmericanswhoidentifyasBlackandLGBTQ+,led bytheAMAAdvisoryCommitteeonLGBTQIssues&MinorityAffairs.
To Read Articles, Essays & Zines
RevolutionarySuicide(2013)byLynicePinkard(belovedformerCFMCoreand Careteammember!)
CoalitionPolitics(1983)byBerniceJohnsonReagan
ABlackFeministStatement(1977)bytheCombaheeRiverCollective
WritingOurselvesIntotheFuture(2024)aninterviewwithadriennemaree brown
TheMastersToolsWillNeverDismantleTheMastersHouse(1979)byAudre Lorde(wealsohighlyrecommendherfullbook,SisterOutsider(1984),which containsthisessayandmanyothergloriousones!)
ANewPoliticsofSexuality(1992)byJuneJordan
AFewRulesforPredictingtheFuture(2000)byOctaviaButler
PoliceAbolition/BlackRevolt(2020)byRobynMaynard
FromRadicalBrokennesstoRadicalResilience:DiscoveringthePowerto OvercomeOverwhelmingTraumabyVictorLeeLewis
WhatAbouttheRapists:AnAbolitionistFAQ(2021)byMariameKaba,wealso recommendconnectingwithherworkthroughInterruptingCriminalizationand TransformHarm
TheOriginsofBlackHistoryMonth(2024)byAssociationfortheStudyof African-AmericanLifeandHistory(ASALH),FoundersofBlackHistoryMonth
Books
ReclaimingUGLY!ARadicallyJoyfulGuidetoUnlearnOppressionandUplift, Glorify,andLoveYourself(2024)byVanessaRochelleLewis(belovedCFM facilitatorandformercoreteammember!)
BlackDisabilityPolitics(2022)bySamiSchalk
EmergentStrategy:ShapingChange,ChangingWorlds(2017)byadriennemaree brown
Beloved(1987)byToniMorrison
TheBluestEye(1970)byToniMorrison
AngelaDavis:AnAutobiography(1974)byAngelaDavis,editedbyToniMorrison
Homegoing(2017)byYaaGayasi
TheProphets(2022)byRobertJonesJr
YouCanʼtTouchMyHair(2016)byPhoebeRobinson
TheFireNextTime(1992)byJamesBaldwin
ThePeopleCouldFly(1993)byVirginiaHamiliton
The1619Project(2024)byNikoleHannah-Jones
TheIntuitionist(2000)byColsonWhitehead
TheMessage(2024)byTaNehisi-Coates
YouAreYourBestThing:Vulnerability,ShameResilience,andtheBlack Experience(2022)Anthology,editedbyTaranaBurkeandBrenéBrown
Undrowned:BlackFeministLessonsfromMarineMammals(2020)byAlexis PaulineGumbs(alsocheckoutherwebsiteforarangeofexcitingofferings)
HowWeGetFree:BlackFeminismandtheCombaheeRiverCollective(2017)
EditedbyKeeanga-YamahttaTaylor
FreedomDreams:TheBlackRadicalImagination(2022)byRobinDGKelley,20th AnniversaryEdition
TheDisorderedCosmos:AJourneyintoDarkMatter,Spacetime,andDreams Deferred(2021)byChandaPrescod-Weinstein
AlltheWomenAreWhite,AlltheBlacksAreMen,ButSomeofUsAreBrave: BlackWomen'sStudies(1992)EditedbyAkasha(GloriaT.)Hull,PatriciaBell Scott,andBarbaraSmith
ParableoftheSower(1993)byOctaviaButler,wealsohighlyrecommendthe 2021GraphicNovelAdaptationofParableoftheSower!
Kindred(1979)byOctaviaButler
Caste:TheOriginsofOurDiscontent(2023)byIsabelWilkerson
TheWarmthOfOtherSons(2011)byIsabelWilkerson
WhenChickenHeadsComeHomeToRoost:AHip-HopFeministBreaksItDown (2000)byJoanMorgan
TheNewJimCrow:MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness(2020)by MichelleAlexander
TheWomenofBrewsterPlace(1983)byGloriaNaylor
BeingBlack:ZenandtheartofLivingwithFearlessnessandGrace(2002)by AngelKyodoWilliams
HealingRage:WomenMakingInnerPeacePossible(2008)byRuthKing
BlackWhiteandJewish:AutobiographyofaShiftingSelf(2005)byRebecca Walker ComradeSisters:WomenoftheBlackPantherParty(2022)byErickaHuggins, PhotographybyStephanShames
RehearsalsforLiving(2022)byDr.RobynMaynardandLeanneBetasamosake Simpson
ThereisaFlowerattheTipofMyNose,SmellingMe(2022)byAliceWalker, IllustrationsbyQueenbeMonyei(achildrenʼsbookwithgorgeousillustrations thatalsocontainsdeepwisdomforadults).
TeachingtoTransgress(1994)andTeachingCommunity:APedagogyofHope (2003)bybellhooks
Salvation:BlackPeopleandLove(2001)andAllAboutLove(1999)bybellhooks
StampedfromtheBeginning:TheDefinitiveHistoryofRacistIdeasinAmerica (2023)byIbrahimXKendi
GoodnightRacism(2022)byIbrahimXKendi,IllustratedbyCbabiBayoc
LifeDoesnʼtFrightenMe:APoetryPictureBook(2018Edition)byMayaAngelou, IllustratedbyJean-MichelBasquiat(childrenʼsbook)
AbolitionisLove(2003)bySyrusMarcusWareandAlannahFricker(childrenʼs book) Something,SomedaybyAmandaGorman,IllustrationsbyChristianRobinson
ChangeSings:AChildren'sAnthembyAmandaGorman,IllustratedbyLoren Long
Miscellaneous Resources
Celebrate Black History Month with Bookshop!
JoinBookshop.orgincelebratingBlackHistoryMonthbypurchasinganewbook byaBlackauthor!CelebrateBlackHistoryMonthwith20%off100+Titlesby BlackAuthorswithcodeBHM2026.
CheckouttheserecommendationsfromBlackAuthors:includingPoetryBooks, Non-FictionBooks,AdultFiction,Cookbooks,PictureBooks,andmore!Once youfindyournextread,supportBlack-OwnedBookstoreswiththisInteractive MapfromBookshop!
Challenging Anti-Black Racism: Resources for Gender Justice Advocates
Genderjusticeandracialjusticeareinseparable.PossibilitySeedscreated thisfreeresourcelistofbooks,articles,podcasts,andvideostohelpgender justiceadvocatesdismantleanti-Blackracismintheirlivesandworkyear-round. Liberationfromgender-basedviolencecannothappenwithoutanendtowhite supremacyandanti-Blackracism.
Black Girl Dangerous Project
TheBGDProjectisthebrainchildofaward-winningauthorMiaMcKenzie.What startedoutasascreamofanguishhasevolvedintoamulti-facetedforumfor expression.BGDseeksto,inasmanywaysaspossible,amplifythevoices, experiencesandexpressionsofqueerandtranspeopleofcolor.
Center for Black Deaf Studies (CBDS)
TheCenterforBlackDeafStudieswasestablishedin2020atGallaudet Universityandoperatesasanoutreachcenterforteachingandlearningabout theBlackDeafexperience.CBDSprovideseasyaccesstoarangeofuseful contentresources,perhapsmostnotablythroughtheBlackASLProject.
The Marsha P. Johnson Institute
TheMarshaP.JohnsonInstituteworkstoprotecttherightsofBlacktransgender peopleandhonorthelife&legacyofactivistMarshaP.Johnson.
Toolkits & Resource Guides
InOurOwnHands:TalkingAboutAbolition&TransformativeJusticewith LittleOnesToolkit,createdbySudanese-CanadianActivistRainaElMugammar
BlackHistoryMonthResourceGuideforEducators&FamiliesbytheCenter forRacialJustice
BlackFeminisms:CuratedReadingListfromRoomofOneʼsOwnBooks
CheckoutthisAbolitionistReadingListbyAbolitionistFutures!
WeHealTogether:AColoringBookforBlackSurvivorsFREEColoringBook
createdbyConsentComesFirstatTorontoMetropolitanUniversityandtheSexualAssault SupportCentreatCarletonUniversity,incollaborationwithCassandraFullwood,with illustrationsbyKeZnaDalz&AshantiFortson.Folksareinvitedtoprint&sharethecoloring bookandusethehashtag#WeHealTogetherwhensharingonsocialmedia!
Weʼdlovetohearfromyouwithsomeofyourfavorite resources,aswell–sendusamessageat creatingfreedommovements@gmail.comifyouʼdliketo share!