June 19, 2021

“In 1852, Frederick Douglass asked us to define what freedom is to a Black American.

“As we revisit his call to action, topics such as critical race theory dominate discussions about how history should be told. But it’s only by exploring the past that we can make sense of the present. …

“To observe Juneteenth, commemorating the abolishment of slavery in the United States, we are highlighting the breadth of resources available in the [Berkeley] Library’s collections.”

Among the picks from a group of library experts is Michelle Alexander‘s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.

Also, Ida B. Wells‘ work A Red Record where Wells “uncovered the psychological intentions of lynchings as a way to suppress and control African American communities. Wells’ investigative research inspired studies that focused on addressing the impact on mental health in the Black community and racial disparities in the criminal justice system. A rare copy of the 1895 pamphlet is one of the treasures at The Bancroft Library, a donation from Leon Litwack, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and past chair of Berkeley’s Department of History.”  (An electronic version of A Red Record is also available online.)

More recommendations here