PUBLIC LIBRARIES

+ INFORMATION ACTIVISM

Though the internet widens our global access to information, a lot can get lost within its culture of quick, bite-sized chunks of information specifically on social media platforms. The sharing of information linked to the BLM movement, expanded at unprecedented speed and scale—growing nationally in the US and then internationally, ultimately defining it as a social media movement. This information has been powerful and proven useful in terms of providing an introduction to racial Injustice issues. However, going off this information alone falls short, oftentimes oversimplifying complex conversations. A remedy to this impulsive combative oversharing of information is a closer connection to the idea that research is needed to formulate well-rounded ideas. This is where public libraries can come in as important instruments for social and political activism.

The public library as the cultural and scholarly heart of the community invites a deeper look into presenting hidden and oftentimes uncomfortable histories. This puts public libraries at the forefront of information activism, as their role to the community aims to erode structural and socioeconomic barriers. They do this by providing free access to multiple insightful resources.

Bellow, Rima Sater - a self-taught film photographer and Library Assistant - walks us through resources that are readily accessible at the London Public Library. Resources that can inspire the reader towards progress by giving language and context to the layered issues of our current cultural climate.

Story by Rima Sater

Illustrations By Chance Mutuku

It is sometimes forgotten that public libraries still exist beyond our childhood memories; a safe place welcoming all demographics, promoting inclusivity as one of its many pillars, and celebrating all of the people who use our space as a place of solace. The London Public Library is not only made up of an extensive book collection, but home to community programming ranging from mental health awareness to poetry nights, tax clinics to film screenings. The London Public Library also subscribes to an array of online resources including magazine archives, academic journals, and sites to learn different languages. All of which are free. Two of our most frequently used resources are Libby by Overdrive; a downloadable app with access to our online collection of e-books and audio books, as well as Kanopy; also downloadable for streaming documentaries and films from international, indie, and critically acclaimed filmmakers. These two resources have been especially significant as we continue to fight against racial and environmental injustices of our Black and Indigenous communities, as they provide accessible educational tools for those in support of anti-racism. Within each is a wide selection of works by Black and Indigenous authors, filmmakers, and artists, amplifying the voices of those within these communities, and creating an opportunity to learn more about their experiences with systemic racism.

Libby by Overdrive:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

‘‘A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation and gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement. At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin's early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document. It consists of two "letters, " written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism.’’

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

‘‘Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in. Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, Toni Morrison's virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace that have always characterized her writing.’’

I’ve Been Meaning To Tell You: A Letter To My Daughter by David Chariandy

‘‘This novella-length collection of gentle essays about race and belonging is written in epistolary style by novelist Chariandy to his 13-year-old daughter. In the opening essay, he recounts being in a café with her at age three, where a woman tells him he doesn't belong there, in Canada, the country of his birth.’’

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas

‘‘Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn't always free.’’

Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil: The Life, Legacy, and Love of My Son Michael Brown by Lezley McSpadden

‘‘This revelatory memoir by the mother of Michael Brown, the African American teenager killed by the police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, sheds light on one of the landmark events in recent history. I wasn't there when Mike Mike was shot. I didn't see him fall or take his last breath, but as his mother, I do know one thing better than anyone, and that's how to tell my son's story and the journey we shared together as mother and son, says Lezley McSpadden.When Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was born, he was adored and doted on by his aunts, uncles, grandparents, his father, and most of all by his sixteen-year-old mother, who nicknamed him Mike Mike. McSpadden never imagined that her son's name would inspire the resounding chants of protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, and ignite the global conversation about the disparities in the American policing system.’’

So You Want To Talk About Race by  Ijeoma Oluo

 ‘‘How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair--and how do you make it right? How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend? In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.’’

how To Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

‘‘In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas--from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities--that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.’’

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

‘‘Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.’’

How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

‘‘The Combahee River Collective, a path-breaking group of radical black feminists, was one of the most important organizations to develop out of the antiracist and women's liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. In this collection of essays and interviews edited by activist-scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, founding members of the organization and contemporary activists reflect on the legacy of its contributions to Black feminism and its impact on today's struggles.’’

Policing the Black Man by Angela J. Davis

‘‘Policing the Black Man explores and critiques the many ways the criminal justice system impacts the lives of African American boys and men at every stage of the criminal process, from arrest through sentencing.  Essays range from an explication of the historical roots of racism in the criminal justice system to an examination of modern-day police killings of unarmed black men.’’

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

‘‘Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings--asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass--offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.’’

Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga

‘‘In 1966, twelve-year-old Chanie Wenjack froze to death on the railway tracks after running away from residential school. An inquest was called and four recommendations were made to prevent another tragedy. None of those recommendations were applied. More than a quarter of a century later, from 2000 to 2011, seven Indigenous high school students died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The seven were hundreds of miles away from their families, forced to leave home and live in a foreign and unwelcoming city. Using a sweeping narrative focusing on the lives of the students, award-winning investigative journalist Tanya Talaga delves into the history of this small northern city that has come to manifest Canada's long struggle with human rights violations against Indigenous communities.’’

The Authorized Biography by Buffy Sainte Marie

‘‘A powerful, intimate look at the life of a beloved folk icon and activist. Folk hero. Songwriter icon. Living legend. Buffy Sainte-Marie is all of these things and more. In this, Sainte-Marie's first and only authorized biography, music critic Andrea Warner draws from more than sixty hours of exclusive interviews to offer a powerful, intimate look at the life of the beloved artist and everything that she has accomplished in her seventy-seven years (and counting).’’

Heart Berries: A Memoir by Terese Marie Malhot

‘‘Heart Berries is a powerful, poetic memoir of a woman's coming of age on the Seabird Island Band in the Pacific Northwest. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar II disorder; Terese Marie Mailhot is given a notebook and begins to write her way out of trauma.’’

21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph

‘‘Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer.’’

Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage by Marie Battiste & James (Sa’ke’j) Youngblood Henderson

‘‘Whether the approximately 500 million Indigenous Peoples in the world live in Canada, the United States, Australia, India, Peru, or Russia, they have faced a similar fate at the hands of colonizing powers. That has included assaults on their language and culture, commercialization of their art, and use of their plant knowledge in the development of medicine, all without consent, acknowledgement, or benefit to them.

The authors paint a passionate picture of the devastation these assaults have wrought on Indigenous peoples. They illustrate why current legal regimes are inadequate to protect Indigenous knowledge and put forward ideas for reform. This book looks at the issues from an international perspective and explores developments in various countries including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and also at the work of the United Nations and all relevant international agreements.’’

Why Indigenous Literature Matters by Daniel Heath Justice

‘‘In considering the connections between literature and lived experience, this book contemplates four key questions at the heart of Indigenous kinship traditions: How do we learn to be human? How do we become good relatives? How do we become good ancestors? How do we learn to live together? Blending personal narrative and broader historical and cultural analysis with close readings of key creative and critical texts, Justice argues that Indigenous writers engage with these questions in part to challenge settler-colonial policies and practices that have targeted Indigenous connections to land, history, family, and self.’’

River Woman by Katherena Vermette

‘‘Award-winning Métis poet and acclaimed novelist Katherena Vermette's second work of poetry, river woman, examines and celebrates love as postcolonial action. Here love is defined as a force of reclamation and repair in times of trauma, and trauma is understood to exist within all times. The poems are grounded in what feels like an eternal present, documenting moments of clarity that lift the speaker (and reader) out of our preconceptions of historical time, while never losing a connection to history.’’

Stolen Sisters: The Story of Two Missing Girls, Their Families and How Canada Has Failed Indigenous Women by Emmanuelle Walter

‘‘In 2014, the nation was rocked by the brutal violence against young Aboriginal women Loretta Saunders, Tina Fontaine and Rinelle Harper. But tragically, they were not the only Aboriginal women to suffer that year. In fact, an official report revealed that since 1980, 1,200 Canadian Aboriginal women have been murdered or have gone missing. This alarming official figure reveals a national tragedy and the systemic failure of law enforcement and of all levels of government to address the issue.

Journalist Emmanuelle Walter spent two years investigating this crisis and has crafted a moving representative account of the disappearance of two young women, Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander, teenagers from western Quebec, who have been missing since September 2008. Via personal testimonies, interviews, press clippings and official documents, Walter pieces together the disappearance and loss of these two young lives, revealing these young women to us through the voices of family members and witnesses.

Stolen Sisters is a moving and deeply shocking work of investigative journalism that makes the claim that not only is Canada failing its First Nations communities, but that a feminicide is taking place.’’

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese 

‘‘Growing up in the care of the "old man" he was entrusted to at birth, Franklin Starlight has never really known his biological father, Eldon. The fleeting moments he shared with the alcoholic man have only ended in disasters that haunt the boy. But when father, coming to the end of his alcohol-ruined life, reaches out to sixteen-year-old son their first and last journey together begins. Hesitantly, Franklin obliges his dying father's wish -- to be buried as a warrior -- and together they hazard the rugged and dangerous beauty of the backcountry to find an appropriate burial site.

Through the fog of pain, Eldon relates to his son the desolate moments in his life, as well as the times of hope -- the family history Franklin has never known. As Father tells the tale, the Son, and the reader, live for the stories, in the hope that they will shed light on the mysteries of a tortured past.’’

Kanopy:

The Watermelon Woman

‘‘Cheryl Dunye plays a version of herself in this witty, nimble landmark of New Queer Cinema. A video store clerk and fledgling filmmaker, Cheryl becomes obsessed with the "most beautiful mammy," a character she sees in a 1930s movie. Determined to find out who the actress she knows only as the "Watermelon Woman" was and make her the subject of a documentary, she starts researching and is bowled over to discover that not only was Fae Richards (Lisa Marie Bronson) a fellow Philadelphian but also a lesbian. The project is not without drama as Cheryl's singular focus causes friction between her and her friend Tamara (Valarie Walker) and as she begins to see parallels between Fae's problematic relationship with a white director and her own budding romance with white Diana (fellow filmmaker Guinevere Turner).’’

I Am Not Your Negro

‘‘In 1979, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, "Remember This House." The book was to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and assassinations of three of his close friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin's death in 1987, he left behind only 30 completed pages of this manuscript. Filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished.’’

Ken Burns: The Central Park Five

‘‘Filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon examine a 1989 case of five teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a woman. After they had spent from six to 13 years in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.’’

The Early Works of Cheryl Dunye

‘‘Vilified by conservatives in Congress, defended by major newspapers, and celebrated by audiences and festivals around the world as one of the most provocative, humorous and important filmmakers of our time, Cheryl Dunye practically invented a new form of cinema - call it the 'Dunyementary.'Presented here are the films that started it all - the early works which gave birth to an extraordinary and original filmmaking talent. Made with great creativity on often miniscule budgets, they represent the first chapter of the Cheryl Dunye oeuvre.’’

The New Black

‘‘The New Black boldy examines the controversial and challenging issues the African-American community is grappling with the gay rights issue in light of the recent gay marriage movement and the fight over civil rights. The film documents activists, families and clergy on both sides of the campaign to legalize gay marriage and examines homophobia in the black community's institutional pillar -- the black church and reveals the Christian right wing's strategy of exploiting this phenomenon in order to pursue an anti-gay political agenda. The documentary makes a compelling case that the fight for LGBT rights in Black communities is an extension of the Black Freedom Struggle. It takes viewers into the pews and onto the streets and provides a seat at the kitchen table as it tells the story of the historic fight to win marriage equality in Maryland and charts the evolution of this divisive issue within the black community.’’

Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus

‘‘Spike Lee's stylized thriller is a new kind of love story. Dr. Hess Green becomes cursed by a mysterious ancient African artifact and is overwhelmed with a newfound thirst for blood. He, however, is not a vampire. Soon after his transformation he enters into a dangerous romance with Ganja Hightower that questions the very nature of love, addiction, sex, and status in our seemingly sophisticated society.’

Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask

‘‘This documentary was the first film to explore Frantz Fanon, the pre-eminent theorist of the anti-colonial movements of this century. Fanon's two major works, Black Skin, White Masks and The Wretched of the Earth, were pioneering studies of the psychological impact of racism on both colonized and colonizer. This innovative film biography restores Fanon to his rightful place at the center of contemporary discussions around post-colonial identity. Director Isaac Julien integrates the facts of Fanon's brief but remarkably eventful life with his long and tortuous inner journey. Julien elegantly weaves together interviews with family members and friends, documentary footage, readings from Fanon's work and dramatizations of crucial moments in Fanon's life. Cultural critics Stuart Hall and Francoise Verges position Fanon's work in his own time and draw out its implications for our own.’’

Songs of Freedom

‘‘Based on the popular Wallace novel, Bosambo (Paul Robeson) is used by Sanders, the British administrator, to keep the other natives in line and satisfied with British governance. Later, Bosambo is rewarded for his efforts by being proclaimed King over all the tribes.’’

Anita: Speaking Truth to Power 

‘‘Against a backdrop of sex, politics, and race, ANITA reveals the intimate story of a woman who spoke truth to power. An entire country watched as a poised, beautiful African-American woman sat before a Senate committee of 14 white men and with a clear, unwavering voice recounted the repeated acts of sexual harassment she had endured while working with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Anita Hill's graphic testimony was a turning point for gender equality in the U.S. and ignited a political firestorm about sexual harassment and power in the workplace that resonates still today. Against a backdrop of sex, politics, and race, ANITA reveals the story of a woman who has empowered millions to stand up for equality and justice.’’

Green Days by the River

‘‘A Caribbean coming-of-age classic in the tradition of Sugar Cane Alley, Green Days The River is adapted from Michael Anthony's acclaimed 1967 novel by the same name. Set in 1952 in a remote coastal village in Trinidad, 15-yeard-old Shellie follows a kindhearted Indian planter to work on his plantation along the river as he pursues the affection of two girls in a lasting tale of young love and loss.’’

Mankiller: Activist. Feminist. Cherokee Chief.

‘‘She stands tall amongst the likes of Robert Kennedy, Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. She humbly defied the odds and overcame insurmountable obstacles to fight injustice and gave a voice to the voiceless. And yet few people know her name.Mankiller is the story of an American legend, Wilma Mankiller, who overcame rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the Cherokee Nation's first woman Principal Chief in 1985.’’

On a Knife Edge

‘‘Set against a background of rising tension and protest, a Lakota teenager learns first-hand what it means to lead a new generation and enter adulthood in a world where the odds are stacked against him. Filmed over a five-year period, On A Knife Edge provides a privileged view into the interior world of George Dull Knife as he becomes politically active with the American Indian Movement, confronts the challenges of growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and wrestles with accepting leadership of his storied family from his aging father.’’

Medicine Woman

‘‘America's first Native doctor, Susan La Flesche Picotte (1865-1915) studied medicine at a time when few women dared. She graduated first in her class and returned home to serve as doctor to her Omaha tribe. During this heartbreaking and violent time she never gave up hope.The reverberations from her shattered world continue today as Native Americans suffer from alarming rates of disease, suicide and mental illness. Like Susan, these modern day medicine women from the Omaha, Lakota and Navajo tribes are fighting a war and sharing a confident, even joyful, approach to the work of healing.’’

In Whose Honor?

‘‘The Cleveland Indians. Washington Redskins. Atlanta Braves. What's wrong with American Indian sports mascots? This moving, award-winning film is the first of its kind to address that subject. This film takes a critical look at the long-running practice of "honoring" American Indians as mascots and nicknames in sports. It follows the story of Native American mother Charlene Teters, and her transformation into the leader some are calling the "Rosa Parks of American Indians" as she struggles to protect her cultural symbols and identity.

Beyond the Shadows

‘‘A powerful documentary about the legacy of Native Residential Schools (Missionary Schools), Beyond the Shadows is a 28 minute documentary about the far-reaching and emotionally devastating effects of residential/boarding schools on the Native population in Canada. This film relates the historical background of these government mandated schools while also depicting painful personal experiences. The Program raises many significant issues for the Native people and provides tools for dealing with the trauma of residential schools within their communities or organizations.’’

Between Two Worlds 

‘‘This two-part series looks at four young single native moms and their struggle to find support. The series looks at different programs which are available to single moms, including urban support groups, cultural activities as well as family and friends. The series is designed to motivate and inspire single aboriginal moms who may feel they have no one to help them raise their child.’’

A Good Day To Die 

‘‘Good Day To Die chronicles a movement that started a revolution and inspired a nation. By recounting the life story of Dennis Banks, the Native American who co-founded the American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1968 to advocate and protect the rights of American Indians, the film provides an in-depth look at the history and issues surrounding AIM's formation. From the forced assimilation of Native Americans within boarding schools, to discrimination by law enforcement authorities, to neglect by government officials responsible for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, AIM sought redress for the many grievances that its people harbored. Banks' personal struggle culminated in major armed confrontations at Custer, South Dakota and Wounded Knee -- climactic flash points which saw him standing steadfast as a leader for his cause.’’

INAATE/SE/

‘‘A re-imagination of an ancient Ojibway story -- the Seven Fires Prophecy -- which both predates and predicts first contact with Europeans, INAATE/SE/ is a kaleidoscopic experience blending documentary, narrative, and experimental forms. INAATE/SE/ transcends linear colonized history to explore how the prophecy resonates through the generations in their indigenous community within Michigan's Upper Peninsula.With acute geographic specificity, and grand historical scope, the film fixes its lens between the sacred and the profane to pry open the construction of contemporary indigenous identity.

Box of Treasures 

‘‘In the late 19th century, the Canadian government removed ritual objects from the possession of the Kwakiut'l, a Native American community on the Northwest Coast. The 'potlatch', as it was called, was their way of celebrating their culture, their identity and their heritage. A ritual passing down of treasures, it symbolized a rebirth of tradition, a positive affirmation of their identity, past and present. This film documents the cultural significance of these events for today's Kwakiut'l people. It is an eloquent testimony to the persistence and complexity of Kwakiut'l society and to the struggle for redefining cultural identity for them.’’

You can use these resources for free with a Library card. If you are in need of a card, you can easily create a temporary one online. This type of card will allow you to access our online resources listed above, plus the many others offered. To borrow physical items like books, DVDs, or CDs, you will need a permanent Library card. You can call or email the Library and staff will create a free card for you; one you can pick up at your chosen branch during our current curbside pick up hours, or inside selected branches allowing indoor public access. Staff can also help update an expired card and deal with any late fines so that you can get back to using it. The public library is such a valuable institution exemplifying what communities truly need in order to provide free and accessible educational tools, safe spaces, and a way to sustain equality amongst all its visitors.

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