Racial Healing 


Breonna Taylor, d. March 13, 2020; George Floyd, d. May 25, 2020; Ahmaud Arbery, d. February 23, 2020

Breonna Taylor, d. March 13, 2020; George Floyd, d. May 25, 2020; Ahmaud Arbery, d. February 23, 2020

As a presbytery seeking to see Christ in all people, we are committed to the call to care for the marginalized, especially when it comes to dismantling systemic racism and eradicating poverty. Below you will find resources on ways to do three things that I believe to be critical: 1) Educate, 2) Engage, and 3) Act.

As always, saturate this world in prayer. We are in a time when we can go deeper, we can look beyond the surface, do the work that is needed, and continually ask God to transform us and heal our land. 

Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle, Executive Presbyter 

Updated May 26, 2021


EDUCATE:

Denominational and Presbytery Resources for Dismantling Racism:

  • Juneteenth Resources

    • Presbyterian Historical Society - Juneteenth (June 13, 2017): Link

    • The National Museum of African American History and Culture - The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth: Link

    • The Atlantic - Black Joy—Not Corporate Acknowledgment—Is the Heart of Juneteenth (June 19, 2020): Link

    • Lent of Liberation: Confronting the Legacy of American Slavery by Cheri L. Mills: Link (PCUSA Store) (also listed in Books below)

  • Presbytery of Greater Atlanta and Cherokee Presbytery - A Joint Statement and Prayer Concerning Anti-Asian Gun Violence (March 17, 2021): Link

  • Presbytery of Greater Atlanta - Town Hall: Dismantling Racism, Session II (October 3, 2020): Link (video, YouTube)

  • Presbytery of Greater Atlanta - Town Hall: Resources for Dismantling Racism, Session I (July 1, 2020): Link (video, YouTube) | Link (slides)

  • A Common Statement on Racism, Advocacy for Black Women and Girls, and the 224th General Assembly (2020): Link

  • Presbyterian Church (USA) - Facing Racism: Link

  • Joint Savannah Presbytery and Presbytery of Greater Atlanta statement calling for justice in the case of Ahmaud Arbery, Brunswick, GA (06/03/2020): Link

  • Presbyterian Mission Agency -

    • Matthew 25 Initiative and Invitation: Link

    • Dismantling Structural Racism: Link

  • Presbytery of Greater Atlanta - Matthew 25 Bible Study Slide Presentation - Developed by Aisha Brooks-Lytle and Joy Fisher: Link

  • “THIS IS MY CALL, TWO STRIKES AND ALL” (February 18, 2021): Link

  • The Smile on a Dog: Retrieving a Faith That Matters (2021): Link

  • Presbytery of Greater Atlanta - Task Force on Racism (1995-c. 2008) - "Mission Statement on Combatting Racism" (1997): Link

First Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, GA) - A Pastoral Letter: Pentecost 2020 (Sunday, May 31, 2020): Link

Kevin Hicks (Pastor, Conyers Presbyterian Church):

  • Monday Message (June 1, 2020): Link

  • Tuesday Message (June 2, 2020): Link

My Resources for Learning & Unlearning by Katie Day (Pastor, Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church): Link

Resources from Trinity Presbyterian Church (Decatur, GA): Link

Absolom Jones Center for Racial Healing (Atlanta, GA) - Catherine Meeks, Executive Director: Link (website) | Link (YouTube Channel)

Anti-Racism Resources (Dropbox; Sarah Sophie Flicker & Alyssa Klein; May 2020): Link

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church - “My God, why have you forsaken me?” A Time of Lament: Link

Yale University is offering free courses through their Open Yale Courses program, including:

  • African American History: From Emancipation to the Present: Link

  • The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877: Link

The Gift Collaborative -The Gift of Black Theological Education & Black Church Collaborative: Link

Articles/Blogs/Etc:

  • Op-Ed: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Don’t understand the protests? What you’re seeing is people pushed to the edge: Link

  • Sixty Second Preacher: Thoughts on Ministry, White Privilege, and Sixty Second Sermon videos from Ryan Landino: Link

  • What is Owed (June 30, 2020; New York Times): Link

Books:

  • Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully about Racism by Carolyn B. Helsel: Link

  • The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby: Link

  • How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice by Jemar Tisby: Link | Website | Trailer

  • I Bring the Voice of My People: A Womanist Vision for Racial Reconciliation by Chanequa Walker-Barnes: Link

  • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown: Link

  • Lent of Liberation: Confronting the Legacy of American Slavery by Cheri L. Mills: Link (PCUSA Store)

  • Let Justice Roll Down by John M. Perkins: Link

  • More Courageous Conversations About Race by Glenn E. Singleton: Link

  • One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches by George Yancey: Link

  • Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells As Prophet for Our Time by Catherine Meeks and Nibs Stroupe: Link

  • So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oiuo: Link

  • Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God by Kelly Brown Douglas: Link

  • The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Link 

  • White Awake: An Honest Look at What It Means to Be White by Daniel Hill: Link

  • White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo: Link

  • White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson (see Videos): Link

  • Top 10 Books On Anti-Racism (Esquire Magazine): Link

Books For Children:

Miriam Moore-Keish’s Anti-Racism Book Recommendations for kids (Reposted with permission from Facebook, June 3, 2020)

Ages 0-115:

  • Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi

Ages 0-5:

  • A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

Ages 3-8:

  • The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

Ages 5-8:

  • The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles

  • My Brother Martin by Christine Farris King

  • Let the Children March by Monica Clark

  • Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

Ages 8+:

  • Little Man, Little Man by James Baldwin

Ages 10+:

  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

  • Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson

  • A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée

Ages 12+:

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

  • Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

  • Black Enough by Ibi Zoboi

Film/Video:

  • 13th (2016, Netflix)

  • The Color of Fear (Vimeo): Link

  • The Inheritance Swiss Reconciliation with Amish and Mennonites (500-year reconciliation between Amish and the Swiss Reformed Church, YouTube): Link

  • Seven Last Words of the Unarmed By Joel Thompson (YouTube): Link

  • TheoEd: Link

  • Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho: Link

  • White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Nation's Divide (one-hour YouTube lecture on White Rage by Carol Anderson, see Books): Link

  • NEXT Church - Race and the Church: A Group Watch Video Series and Live Discussion: Link

ENGAGE & ACT

  • Starting February 2021 -

    • Anti-Racism in the Local Church - pastors gather via Zoom once per month to discern a plan to begin/continue to fight racism in their own local church using Jemar Tisby's How to Fight Racism (see Books above) and related resources as guidance. Meeting options include second Mondays at 2pm OR second Thursdays at noon. Contact Jane Hubbard or Joy Fisher.

  • 12 Ways to Be an Activist Without Going To A Protest: Link

  • 1619 Project Resources - First Presbyterian Church (Atlanta): Link

  • 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge by Eddie Moore Jr.: Link

  • Be the Bridge: Link

  • Emory Presbyterian: Protests for Racial Justice Illustrations: Link

  • NAACP Legal Defense Fund: Link

  • National Bail Fund Network (state-by-state directory): Link

  • Race and the Church: A Group Watch Video Series and Live Discussion (NEXT Church): Link

  • Urban Missiology: Link (web) | Link (flyer)