While it’s important to acknowledge Black history year round, Black History month is a great reason to intentionally choose to do some learning & reflection. I’m going to share 1 movie and 2 books if you’re looking for some inspiration.
My recommendations this year are present day stories about Black men & women navigating the impact of racism in their current world.
Movie: American Fiction
This movie focuses on the Black author Monk. Monk is trying to make it as an author, but his writing is often judged as “not Black enough” to get published. In a moment of anger and frustration he decides to write a book that is filled with stereotypical Black tropes. This movie is clever and pokes fun of White & Black people and points out the systemic racism in the publishing industry. So many great questions & conversations in this movie.
If you get a chance, watch this movie. It’s been playing in select theatres as it’s up for Best Picture this year.
Non-fiction Book: Black Boys Like Me
If you’re looking for a non-fiction Canadian read, I highly recommend the book Black Boys Like Me by Matthew R. Morris. Matthew shares a series of stories about his life growing up in Scarborough, Ontario. He talks about external, internal, and systemic racism. He shares his love for hip-hop and how it offered a place of being seen in this world. He shares the ups and downs on his road to becoming and athlete and later a teacher in the Toronto School System. He also writes about his experience with his American relatives and his White mother and reflects on belonging as a Black man in Canada.
Fiction Book: An American Marriage
If you’d like a fictional read, try An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. I’m half-way through it right now. This book takes place in the present in the American South. Celestial and Roy are newly married. On a visit to Roy’s parents, Roy is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to prison for 12 years. The book starts with a series of letters back and forth between Celestial & Roy. Three years into his sentence, Celestial ends their relationship and starts one with someone new. Roy gets released from prison after 5 years. The book continues with a series of view-points from Roy, Celestial and Celestial’s new fiance.
So far I’m loving how this book is both tender and also exploring the topic of love and marriage at a deeper level amidst the reality of a corrupt and racist legal system that puts any Black person in danger of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you have any recommendations of your own, please pass them my way.
