In the response to the national conversation about systemic racism prompted by the murder of George Floyd and other incidents, the Mississippi Humanities Council is launching a special grant program to help Mississippi public libraries purchase books on the history of white supremacy and how to create a racially equitable society. These Anti-Racism Reading Shelf grants will provide at least $500 to interested public library systems.
Working with the Mississippi Library Commission and humanities scholars, the MHC has compiled a suggested reading list of over 120 books libraries can choose from, including works by scholars like Eric Foner, Isabel Wilkerson, and Henry Louis Gates. The list also includes contemporary Mississippi writers like Angie Thomas, Jesmyn Ward, and Kiese Laymon, whose fiction and memoir help inspire empathy in White readers with their honest accounts of the experiences of Black Americans.
“We created this program because we believe books and ideas can change lives. We know there is tremendous demand for books and programs about how we can understand and overcome our history of racism,” said MHC Executive Director Stuart Rockoff. “We are pleased to be able to help our state’s public libraries address these important issues.”
The MHC is creating a special section of its Speakers Bureau so libraries can bring in scholars to discuss topics related to systemic racism while the Council’s minigrants are available to support community discussion programs around these books. “These books inspire introspection and conversation, and we are committed to helping public libraries engage their community,” said MHC’s Assistant Director Carol Andersen.
The short, one-page application and the suggested reading list are available on the MHC website. Applications from public library systems will be accepted beginning Sept. 1. The deadline for applying is Sept. 30.
Funds to support the Anti-Racism Reading Shelf program come from the National Endowment for the Humanities and private donations.