The State of Iowa has a problem.
Or at least, the Iowa Legislature seems to think so.
You see, Iowa is the sixth whitest state in the nation, with over 88% of our population identifying as white.
But for people like Representatives Steve Holt and Skyler Wheeler, that’s just not enough. They are threatened by works of literature written by black authors (that they surely have not bothered to read….). The mere thought of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion being taught in a kindergarten classroom leaves them shaking in their boots. Bias? Why, they simply refuse to acknowledge its existence, so we can just forbid people from discussing it!
Here’s what we do know: Books can make you a better person. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson got it—he famously stated:
A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.
Thankfully, there are a lot of truly great books out there designed to educate people on the real harms done by systemic racism, that help readers identify and overcome their own personal biases, that affirm the lived experiences of black Americans. And, of course, they’ve all been banned somewhere.
Perhaps someone should send Holt and Wheeler copies of these books—maybe they’d return as better people next legislative session. Too much to hope for? Sigh, probably.
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The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander: This book examines how mass incarceration and the War on Drugs created a new racial caste system, effectively continuing racial discrimination despite formal colorblindness.
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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X Kendi: The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. Racist ideas are woven into the fabric of this country, and the first step to building an antiracist America is acknowledging America’s racist past and present. This book takes you on that journey, showing how racist ideas started and were spread, and how they can be discredited.
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Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad: This book will walk you step-by-step through the work of examining:
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What allyship really means
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Examining your own white privilege
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Anti-blackness, racial stereotypes, and cultural appropriation
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Changing the way that you view and respond to race
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How to continue the work to create social change
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The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones: This book speaks directly to our current moment, contextualizing the systems of race and caste within which we operate today. It reveals long-glossed-over truths around our nation’s founding and construction—and the way that the legacy of slavery did not end with emancipation, but continues to shape contemporary American life.
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Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson: Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, the author explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations. Using riveting stories about people she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day.
We could recommend many, many more, but you have to start somewhere!
And if you care to educate a State Legislator (or five), you
can send these books to their office at the Capitol:
The Honorable (Full Name), Iowa Senate/House of Representatives
Iowa State Capitol, 1007 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319
