Listening and Learning

Lord have mercy, we're living in tumultuous times.

Rather than offering yet another hot take on what we're experiencing in our country right now (nobody needs that), I want to use this space, today, to highlight just a few of the authors and books that have helped me better understand the experiences of African Americans in the United States.

As is my custom, here I gravitate toward authors whose work is characterized by nuance and grace – which isn't to say these books don't also have a prophetic edge.

Katie and I met John M. Perkins a few years ago here in Phoenix. We chatted for a bit. I'll never forget his kindness or his hazy blue eyes. Nor will I forget the story of his life as told in Let Justice Roll Down. He has lived a courageous life of faith, hope, and love. I want to be like him when I grow up.

By now, some of you will have seen last year's film Just Mercy. (If not, it's currently free to rent on most streaming services.) Being a bibliophile, I do encourage you to read the book. Author Bryan Stevenson, a fellow Eastern University alum, has risked his life to ensure that the criminal justice system more fully lives up to its name. That work is ongoing through the Equal Justice Initiative.

Jemar Tisby's The Color of Compromise and Natasha Sistrunk Robinson's A Sojourner’s Truth are quite different books in substance and style, but I commend both to white evangelicals in particular. You can get to know both authors on a number of podcasts, like this and this, respectively.

Finally, those who enjoy graphic novels and memoirs (who doesn't?!) will appreciate the autobiographical March trilogy from U.S. Congressman and civil rights veteran John Lewis. The nonviolent marches and sit-ins of the 1960s – and the violence Lewis, King, and their fellow activists suffered at the hands of those sworn to protect them – remind us that history is alive and there is still work to be done.

Photo Credit: James Nwobu / Arizona Church Stand Together for Black Lives. Used with permission.