We at Young Broadway Actor News have been listening to the ongoing conversations concerning Black Lives Matter. As we poured through resources to combat racism, we felt that sharing a listicle and walking away would not be enough. This is due to two reasons: 1) we recognize that the serious and unjust issues regarding the black community today must be addressed and 2) we are inspired by the younger generation who wishes to learn more about today’s issues to create a better and brighter world tomorrow. Over the past week, we have gathered over 300 resources for parents, kids, teens, and families to discuss racism with one and other in an age-appropriate way. All resources have been categorized by age group, which were determined by the particular resource’s author, publisher, or press release. The age recommendations are guides. It is up to each individual parent to decide what is appropriate for their children when considering their maturity level and emotional intelligence. On the flip side, feel free to explore the materials listed in a younger age group if you are a member of an older age group listed here.

The resources below include the following:

  • Books, movies, TV, documentaries, and theatre that discuss race, acceptance, civic engagement, police brutality, the black experience, and much more in an age appropriate way. We wanted to include media that not only educates the viewer on the issues of today, but to also diversify the type of people they see on screen and on stage. Some pieces of art are non-fiction looks at our current world. Others are positive examples of fictional works designed to entertain.
  • Articles for parents created as a starting point for talking to children about race.
  • Mental health/self care resources for people of all ages during this especially scary time.

We recognize that this list alone will not stop racism completely. However, we see this as a starting point for long-lasting change – both in your own community and the world at large.

We are always open to adding more to our list. Feel free to contact us at admin@youngbway.org for more additions.

Books

Please consider purchasing these books at any of the black-owned bookstores HERE or HERE.

Books

Name Author
A Letter To Amy Ezra Jack Keats
Antiracist Baby Ibram X. Kendi
Full, Full, Full of Love Trish Cooke
Happy In Our Skin Fran Manushkin
Hi, Cat! Ezra Jack Keats
Skin Like Mine LaTashia M. Perry
The Snowy Day Ezra Jack Keats
We're Different, We're the Same Bobbi Jane Kates
When's My Birthday? Julie Fogliano
Whistle for Willie Ezra Jack Keats
Woke Baby Mahogany L. Browne
Name Author
All Are Welcome Alexandra Penfold
Amazing Grace Mary Hoffman
Black is a Rainbow Color Angela Joy
Brown Boy Brown Boy What Can You Be? Ameshia Arthur
Chocolate Me Taye Diggs
Coretta Scott Ntozake Shange
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Derrick Barnes
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America Carole Boston Weatherford
Hair Love Matthew A Cherry
Hands Up! Breanna J. McDaniel
Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills Renée Watson
I Am Brown Ashok Banker
I Am Enough Grace Byers
I am Rosa Parks Brad Meltzer
I AM... Positive Affirmations for Brown Boys Ayesha Rodriguez
In Plain Sight Richard Jackson
It's In You Sharifa Anozie
Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Peña
Let's Talk About Race Julius Lester
Mariama: Different But Just the Same Jerónimo Cornelles
Mixed Me! Taye Diggs
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom Carole Boston Weatherford
My Brother, Martin Christine King Farris
My Hair is a Garden Cozbi A. Cabrera
Not Quite Snow White Ashley Franklin
Over and Under the Pond Kate Messner
Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis Jabari Asim
Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu Ylleya Fields
Princess Hair Sharee Miller
Remember: The Journey to School Integration Toni Morrison
Rosa Nikki Giovanni
Same, Same But Different Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Saturday Oge Mora
Skin Again Bell Hooks
Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride Andrea Davis Pinkney
Something Happened in Our Town Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard
Sulwe Lupita Nyong'o
The Airport Book Lisa Brown
The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage: The Fight for Interracial Marriage Selina Alko
The Colors of Us Karen Katz
The Day You Begin Jacqueline Woodson
The Legendary Miss Lena Horne Carole Boston Weatherford
The Other Side Jacqueline Woodson
The Skin I'm In: A First Look at Racism Pat Thomas
The Skin You Live In Michael Tyler
The Youngest Marcher Cynthia Levinson
Today I Dance Nia Sioux
Name Author
A Good Kind of Trouble Lisa Moore Ramée
A Ride to Remember Sharon Langley
Blended Sharon M. Draper
Child of the Civil Rights Movement Paula Young Shelton
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground Rita Williams-Garcia
Each Kindness Jacqueline Woodson
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History Walter Dean Myers
From the Desk of Zoe Washington Janae Marks
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters Andrew Davis Pinkney
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History Vashti Harrison
Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X Ilyasah Shabazz
Our Beautiful World of Colors: A Book to Help Your Child Understand Racial Diversity Adanma Onuoha George
Ruth and the Green Book Calvin Alexander Ramsey
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down Andrea Davis Pinkney
The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond Brenda Woods
The Only Black Girls in Town Brandy Colbert
The Season of Styx Malone Kekla Magoon
The Story of Ruby Bridges Robert Coles
The Undefeated Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson
The Zero Degree Zombie Zone Patrik Henry Bass
Twintuition: Double Vision Tia and Tamera Mowry
Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged! Jody Nyasha Warner and Richard Rudnicki
We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices Wade Hudson, Cheryl Willis Hudson
Woke! A Young Poet's Call to Justice Mahogany Browne
Name Author
As Brave As You Jason Reynolds
Because They Marched Russell Freedman
Blackbird Fly Erin Entrada Kelly
Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis
Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship Irene Latham, Charles Waters
For Black Girls Like Me Mariama J. Lockington
Full Cicada Moon Marilyn Hilton
Genesis Begins Again Alicia D. Williams
Ghost Boys Jewell Parker Rhodes
Hidden Figures Margot Lee Shetterly
Hold Fast Blue Balliett
In The Shadow of Liberty Kenneth C. Davis
Inside Out and Back Again Thanhha Lai
It All Comes Down to This Karen English
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History Vashti Harrison
New Kid Jerry Craft
Ninth Ward Jewell Parker Rhodes
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness Anastasia Higginbotham
One Crazy Summer Rita Williams-Garcia
P.S. Be Eleven Rita Williams-Garcia
Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice Veronica Chambers
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach Brenda Woods
Sanity & Tallulah Molly Brooks
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library
Stella by Starlight Sharon M. Draper
The Crossover Kwame Alexander
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer Lamar Giles
The Mighty Miss Malone Christopher Paul Curtis
Tight Torrey Maldonado
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer Carole Boston Weatherford
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Carole Boston Weatherford
Zora and Me Victoria Bond & T. R. Simon
Name Author
A Few Drops of Red: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Claire Hartfield
All American Boys Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
All Boys Aren't Blue George M. Johnson
All the Right Stuff Walter Dean Myers
Are You Being Racially Profiled? Alexandra Hanson-Harding
Black Boy, White School Brian F.Walker
Black Lives Matter (Special Reports) Sue Bradford Edwards, Duchess Harris
Boy21 Matthew Quick
Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance Simone Biles, Michelle Burford
Darius & Twig Andrea Beach
Dear Martin Nic Stone
Discovering Wes Moore Wes Moore
Electric Arches Eve Ewing
Girls Resist! Kaelyn Rich
How I Resist Maureen Johnson (edited)
How It Went Down Kekla Magoon
Hush Jacqueline Woodson
I Am Alfonso Jones Tony Medina
I'm Not Dying With You Tonight Gilly Segal, Kimberly Jones
Jackpot Nic Stone
Just Mercy Bryan Stevenson
Let Me Hear a Rhyme Tiffany D. Jackson
Long Way Down Jason Reynolds
Malcom X: By Any Means Necessary Walter Dean Myers
March: Book One John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
Mare's War Tanita Davis
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Jason Reynolds
Obviously, Stories from My Timeline Akilah Hughes
Piecing Me Together Renée Watson
Saving Savannah Tonya Bolden
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Stolen Justice Lawrence Goldstone
The Hate U Give Angie Thomas
The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo
The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights Steve Shenkin
The Self-Love Revolution Virgie Tovar
The Sun Is Also a Star Nicola Yoon
Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Tyler Johnson Was Here Jay Coles
Watch Us Rise Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan
We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide Carol Anderson
White Privilege M.T. Blakemore
X: A Novel Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
Name Author
Sula Toni Morrison
The Color Purple Alice Walker
The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl Issa Rae
Out of Darkness Ashley Hope Perez
When You Ask Me Where I’m Going Jasmin Kaur
Who Put This Song On? Morgan Parker
Name Author
Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America Jennifer Harvey
So You Want To Talk About Race Ijeoma Oluo

Movies/TV/Documentaries

Name Where To Find It Notes
Bookmarks Netflix
"Sesame Street" - "I Love My Hair" Link
"Sesame Street" Town Hall on Racism Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
Arthur - "Arthur Takes A Stand" episode (2nd story in this episode) Link episode begins at 12:30
Dancing in the Light: The Janet Collins Story Link
Garrett's Gift Link
Hair Love Link
The Journey of Henry Box Brown Link
March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World Link
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood episode tackling racism Link segment begins at 6:44
Motown Magic Link
Nella and the Princess Knight Link
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
Akeelah and the Bee Link
Hale County This Morning, This Evening Link
The Princess and the Frog Link
Ruby Bridges Link
The Wiz (1978) Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
A Ballerina's Tale Link
Betty & Coretta Link
Hidden Figures Link
The Color of Friendship Link
The Jackie Robinson Story Link
John Lewis: Good Trouble Link
To Sleep With Anger Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
4 Little Girls Link
16 Shots Link
Beasts of the Southern Wild Link
Becoming Link
Belle Link
Dispatches From Cleveland Link
Harriet Link
Hoop Dreams Link
I Am Not Your Negro Link
Just Mercy Link
Lee Daniels' The Butler Link
Loving Link
Malcolm X Link
Selma Link
Sounder (1972) Link
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement Link
The Central Park Five Link
The Color Purple Link
The Fits Link
The Gabby Douglas Story Link
The Great Debaters Link
The Hate U Give Link
Pride Link
The Watsons Go To Birmingham Link
The Whole Gritty City Link
What Happened, Miss Simone? Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets Link
13th Link
American Son Link
Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers Link
BlacKkKlansman Link
Copwatch Link
Crime + Punishment Link
Dark Girls Link
Dear White People Link
Do Not Resist Link
Do The Right Thing Link
Freedom Riders Link
Fruitvale Station Link
Get Out Link
If Beale Street Could Talk Link
Insecure Link
Kiki Link
King in the Wilderness Link
LA 92 Link
Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992 (2017) Link
Luke Cage Link
Maya Angelou: And I Still Rise Link
Moonlight Link
Mudbound Link
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools Link
Quest Link
See You Yesterday Link featuring Broadway and Off-Broadway alumni Khail Bryant, Eden Duncan-Smith, and Taliyah Whitaker
Strong Island Link
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson Link
The Force Link
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality Link
When They See Us Link
Whose Streets? Link
Name Where To Find It Notes
42 Link
Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution Link
Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker Link
Seven Seconds Link

Theatre

Name Author Where To Find It
The Wiz (2015 version) Smalls and Brown Link
Name Author Where To Find It
Jitney August Wilson Link
Name Author Where To Find It
A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry Link
A Solider's Play Charles Fuller Link
Ain't Too Proud Dominique Morisseau ft. music from The Temptations Link
An Octoroon Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Link
Behind the Sheet Charly Evon Simpson Link
Fences August Wilson Link
Hurt Village Katori Hall Link
Intimate Apparel Lynn Nottage Link
Our Lady of Kibeho Katori Hall Link
Passing Strange Rodewald and Dorsen Link
Pipeline Dominique Morisseau Link
Radio Golf August WIlson Link
Ruined Lynn Nottage Link
Sarafina! Mbongeni Ngema Link
Shuffle Along Miller, Lyles, Sissle, and Blake Link
Superior Donuts Tracy Letts Link
The Light Loy E Webb Link
The Mountaintop Katori Hall Link
Name Author Where To Find It
A Strange Loop Michael R. Jackson Link
Ain't No Mo' Jordan E. Cooper Link
All the Natalie Portmans C.A. Johnson Link
An Octoroon Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Link
Barbecue Robert O’Hara Link
BLKS Aziza Barnes Link
Blues for Mister Charlie James Baldwin Link
By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Lynn Nottage Link
Choir Boy Tarell McCraney Link
Clybourne Park Bruce Norris Link
Crooked Parts Azure D Osborne-Lee Link
Fairview Jackie Sibblies Drury Link
Fires in the Mirror Anna Deveare Smith Link
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf Ntozake Shange Link
Girls Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Link
Glass Azure D. Osborne-Lee
I Know I Know I Know C.A. Johnson
Joe Turner's Come and Gone August Wilson Link
Kill Move Paradise James Ijames Link
Last Night and the Night Before Donnetta Lavinia Grays Link
Neighbors Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Link
Pass Over Antoinette Nwandu Link
Scraps Geraldine Inoa Link
Six Degrees of Separation John Guare Link
Slave Play Jeremy O. Harris Link
Stick Fly Lydia Diamond Link
Sugar In Our Wounds Donja R. Love Link
The Beasts of Warren Azure D Osborne-Lee
The Climb C.A. Johnson
The Piano Lesson August Wilson Link
The Scottsboro Boys David Thompson; Kander & Ebb Link
Thirst C.A. Johnson
Topdog/Underdog Suzan-Lori Parks Link
Twilight: Los Angeles Anna Deavere Smith Link
War Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Link
What to Send Up When It Goes Down Aleshea Harris Link
Where We Stand Donnetta Lavinia Grays Link
White Noise Suzan-Lori Parks Link
Witness Uganda Griffin Matthews Link
Yellowman Dael Orlandersmith Link

Note: Most of the musicals/plays listed above contain links for where to find them, including links to purchase scripts, view montages, and interviews with the playwright.

Lists of more black playwrights:
Ten Major African-American Playwrights
Queer Black Playwrights to Know and Support

Articles/Websites

Name Link
Draw Your Feelings Link
Name Link
4 Things We Should All Teach Kids About Racism Right Now Link
006: Wait, is my toddler racist? Link
60+ Resources for Talking to Kids About Racism Link
100 Race-Conscious things you can say to your child to advance racial justice Link
Anti-Racism For Kids 101: Starting To Talk About Race Link
Brown Bookshelf - a showcase of books written by black creators Link
Fare of the Free Child podcast Link
Here's How W. Kamau Bell Talks About Race With His Kids Link
How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change Link
How to Talk to Your Kids About Injustice, Racism, and Protests Link
How to Talk with Kids About Racism and Racial Violence Link
How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids Link
PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month Link
Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations about Race and Racism Link
Racial Justice Resources for Families Link
Raising Equity - an organization that helps parents and educators start age-appropriate conversations surrounding race Link
Resources for Discussing Police Violence, Race, and Racism With Students Link
Supporting Kids Of Color in The Wake of Racialized Violence Link
Talking Race with Young Children Link
Talking to Children About Race and Ethnicity Link
Talking to children after racial incidents Link
Talking to kids about discrimination Link
Talking to Kids about Racism and Justice Link
Teaching About Race, Racism, and Police Violence Link
That Time I Found Media to Help My Kid Embrace His Hair and Teach His Preschool Class to Appreciate Differences Link
The Conscious Kid Link
What White Children Need to Know About Race Link

Mental Health/Self Care

Name Link
Calm Link
Three Good Things - A Happiness Journal Link
Name Link
HappiMe for Young People Link
Stop, Breathe & Think Link
Name Link
Atlas Co Link
Deepstash - Self Improvement Link
Mental Health Resources from BuzzFeed Link
My3 - Support Network Link
Name Link
5 mental health resources for Black people Link
8 Mental Health Resources For POC Struggling Right Now Link
10 Virtual Mental-Health Resources That Cater to Black Communities Link
12 Black Mental-Health and Wellness Resources to Follow on Instagram Link
44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in This Country Link
A List Of Mental Health Resources Available For People Of Color Link
Black Lives Matter: 12 self-care tips to protect your mental health during this time Link