Book Description
for The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Using vignettes of his own experiences with racism to delineate his message, author Joseph crafts a highly accessible and engaging guide to racism and anti-racism for young white people. This guide covers it all. From basics (stereotypes, cultural appropriation, the necessity of correctly pronouncing people's names, terms one should and should not say) to more complex situations and concepts (intersectional oppression, responding to a friend's racism, recognizing bias and assumptions), Joseph challenges readers to become not an ally, but an "accomplice" in fighting racism. Short interviews with activists, writers, rappers, lawyers, and others peppered throughout the book provide additional perspectives and insight. In the back matter, "an encyclopedia of racism" and lists of people to research, books to read, movies to watch, and songs to listen to encourage continued learning. Genuine and direct, Joseph points out that it is not the duty of Black people to educate white people; rather, this book is "a gift, in the form of an opportunity." (Age 11 and older)
CCBC Choices 2021. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2021. Used with permission.