Welcome
This a partial and in-progress list of anti-racism and social justice resources at Curtis Library and on the web, intended for use by anyone related to Curtis--students, faculty, staff, administration, and alumni. For questions, comments, and suggestions email Pete Williams, Director of the Rock Resource Center, at peter.williams@curtis.edu.
For resources specific to music and musical studies, see the library guide Black Musics and Musicians: http://libguides.curtis.edu/blackmusic.
For Curtis Library's guide to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day resources: https://libguides.curtis.edu/mlkday
For resources on disability and music, see our guide: https://libguides.curtis.edu/disabilitystudies
Ebooks at Curtis Library
#MeToo and the Politics of Social Change by Call Number: ebookISBN: 9783030152130Publication Date: 2019
Seeing Race Again : Countering Colorblindness Across the Disciplines by Call Number: ebookISBN: 9780520972148Publication Date: 2019-02-05Especially see the chapter, "The possessive investment in classical music : confronting legacies of white supremacy in U.S. schools and departments of music" by Loren Kajikawa.
Multivocality : Singing on the borders of identity by Call Number: ebookISBN: 9780190621476Publication Date: 2020-02-03
Web resources
- Who Owned Slaves in Congress?A database with information and links about members of Congress who owned enslaved Black people. Created and maintained by the Washington Post.
- Lesson of the Day: A Rise in Attacks on Asian AmericansFrom the NYTimes. A resource for students and teachers for understanding recent rise in violence against AAPI folks in the U.S. In includes, readings, viewing, questions for discussion, and a lesson plan.
- Free Library of PhiladelphiaAs a resident of Philadelphia, you are entitled to a membership at the Free Library. Among their extensive collections (including music), they have a large collection of ebooks and a subscription to Kanopy, a video streaming service. The branch closest to Curtis is called The Philadelphia City Institute. It's just across Rittenhouse Square from the main building.
- Black Lives Matter resources at the Free LibraryA list of the BLM-related resources at the Free Library. Includes print and ebooks, blog posts, streaming video, and much more.
- Undoing RacismWebsite of The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Members of this group came to Curtis in Spring 2019 to lead their Undoing Racism Community Organizing Workshop.
- Standing United: The Racial Equity HubLists of resources, a blog, and a newsletter focusing on racial justice in the U.S. Compiled by Jenae Butler of Google.
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ)Resources for and about Asian Americans and social justice
- Stand Against HatredA website maintained by AAAJ where you can report violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and read others' stories.
- Stop AAPI HateA website to report violence and hate against Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and read others' stories.
Short reads
- Let’s Talk About Race: Resources for White Philadelphians Who Are Ready to Actually Do Something About Racism and Anti-BlacknessFrom Philadelphia Magazine, published on June 5, 2020. It includes resources on Philadelphia history, examining personal beliefs, and how to get involved in the city.
- 158 Resources to Understand Racism in AmericaFrom the Smithsonian Institute magazine, a short bibliographic essay weaving together a wealth of resources on racism in the U.S.
- "America: This is Your Chance" by Michelle AlexanderOpinion piece by Michelle Alexander, author of "The New Jim Crow." New York Times, June 8, 2020.
- How black Americans can practice self-care during these trying times. And how everyone else can help them.From the Philadelphia Inquirer. Last accessed June 4, 2020
- Minnesota Opera's EDI GlossaryDefinitions of terms related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) produced by the Minnesota Opera.
- White Supremacy CultureFrom Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun, ChangeWork, 2001. A list of the characteristics of white supremacy culture.
- A Short Reader of Police, Protests, Racism, and RiotsExcerpts from writings throughout U.S. on racism and protest. Created by CUNY Struggle, an organization of students and teachers at the City University of New York.
Anti-racist Resources Geared toward White People
Although all of the sources in this guide can be helpful to anyone doing anti-racist work, the lists of resources below are aimed specifically at white people doing that work.
- Anti-racism resourcesA list of books, organizations, social media accounts and other materials. Compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein in May 2020. From We Here, LLC https://www.wehere.space/
- Resources and Tools Regarding Racism and Anti-blacknessFrom Kandise Le Blanc, linked in this blogpost: https://insidethekandidish.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/dear-white-people-this-is-what-we-want-you-to-do/
- Scaffolded Anti-racist ResourcesA reading/watching list structured around a deepening investigation into racism and commitment to anti-racist work. Created by Anna Stamborski, M. Div Candidate (2022), Nikki Zimmermann, M. Div candidate (2021), Bailie Gregory, M. Div, M.S. Ed.
- A Resource Guide for Anti-racism and being an educated ally for BIPOCA list of anti-racism books, essays, videos, podcasts, and other resources. From the writers at the Glitter Guide.
- White Supremacy CultureFrom Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun, ChangeWork, 2001. A list of the characteristics of white supremacy culture.
Black history resources
Umbra Search: a search engine for digitized materials related to African Americans https://www.umbrasearch.org/
Black Past: digitized primary documents relating to African American history https://www.blackpast.org/
List of slave narratives available on the web: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/African_American_Oral_History
Bronx African American History Project https://research.library.fordham.edu/baahp_oralhist/
Black Women Oral History Project https://guides.library.harvard.edu/schlesinger_bwohp
National Museum of African American History & Culture, Civil Rights History Project https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/initiatives/oralhistory/civil-rights-history-project
Charles Blockson collection of Philadelphia Black history https://library.temple.edu/blockson
List of collections at the Philadelphia African American Museum http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/pacscl/search.html?fq=repository_facet%3A%22African%20American%20Museum%20in%20Philadelphia%22