Books, Movies & More...

List of books to read

While not a comprehensive of books to read, here are a few favorites; inspirational, engaging and enlightening. Take some time this month to read one (or two) and let us know your favorites. OR - share with us your reading list!

• I Always Knew: A Memoir by Barbara Chase-Riboud

• The Street, by Ann Petry

• Finding Me, by Viola Davis

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou

• The Sweetness of Water, by Nathan Harris

• 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History by Jeffrey C. Stewart

• Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

• Becoming by Michelle Obama

“A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option – for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.” – John Lewis

... Are movies more your style?

Summer of Soul

The film examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place on six Sundays between June 29 and August 24 at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem, using professional footage of the festival that was filmed as it happened, stock news footage, and modern-day interviews with attendees, musicians, and other commentators to provide historical background and social context.

Despite its large attendance and performers such as Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mavis Staples, Blinky Williams, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Chambers Brothers, the festival is much less well-known in the 21st century than is Woodstock (which took place on the same weekend as one of the days of the Harlem Cultural Festival), and the filmmakers investigate this, among other topics.

Hidden Figures

Based on a true story, the film tells the incredible story of the Black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Space Race. Until the book of the same name was released, the story was hardly known and often untold. Both the film and novel are worth exploring.

... Movies

Art is at its best when it reflects the world around us, offers insight into others’ lived experiences, teaches us something about our history or holds a mirror up to our own lives. And if we’re lucky, it’s all of the above. Regardless of your background, adding more diverse films to your movie night diet shows Hollywood how important they really are. Not only does watching more movies about Black History and films that center on Black stories offer a learning experience, but it helps the cause of aligning media with what the world we live in actually looks like.

Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders were groups of white and African American civil rights activists who participated in Freedom Rides, bus trips through the American South in 1961 to protest segregated bus terminals

Sylvie’s Love

A young woman falls for an aspiring saxophone player she meets in her father’s 1950’s Harlem record shop in this stirring period drama. Their romance transcends changing times, geography and even their professional aspirations

A Most Beautiful Thing

A sports movie for people who think they don’t like sports movies, this one chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in the country, made up of former members of rival Chicago gangs. It’s heartfelt and inspiring.