Racial Literacy Resources

Movies and some selected TED Talks

TED Talk An artist's unflinching look at racial violence by Sanford Biggers An artist's unflinching look at racial violence | Sanford Biggers
Conceptual artist and TED Fellow Sanford Biggers uses painting, sculpture, video and performance to spark challenging conversations about the history and trauma of black America. Join him as he details two compelling works and shares the motivation behind his art. "Only through more thoughtful dialogue about history and race can we evolve as individuals and society," Biggers says.

TED Talk The Danger of Silence by Clint Smith The danger of silence | Clint Smith
"We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't," says slam poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

Daryl Davis' TEDxNaperville Talk on Why I, as a black man, attend KKK rallies Why I, as a black man, attend KKK rallies. | Daryl Davis | TEDxNaperville
A chance encounter with members of the Ku Klux Klan led black musician Daryl Davis on a quest to determine the source of the hate. His unorthodox, yet simple approach, has wielded surprising results and just might be the solution for all racial discourse.

13th Documentary Netflix 13th (documentary/netflix)
13th is a 2016 American documentary film by director Ava DuVernay. The film explores the "intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States". It is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime.

TED Extensive TED Playlist: Talks to help you understand racism in America
From passionate pleas for reform to poetic turns of phrase, these talks take an honest look at everyday realities of Black Americans and illuminate the way forward.