Racial Justice Newsletter - Black History Month

Issue 4 - February 2022

As we celebrate Black History Month, we share some reading and viewing recommendations.

Beginning in his hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads the reader on an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks—those that are honest about the past and those that are not—that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves.

A deeply researched and transporting exploration of the legacy of slavery and its imprint on centuries of American history, How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country’s most essential stories are hidden in plain view—whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women, and children has been deeply imprinted.

Informed by scholarship and brought to life by the story of people living today, Smith’s debut work of nonfiction is a landmark of reflection and insight that offers a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country and how it has come to be.

Books About Bias

How do we talk about bias? How do we address racial disparities and inequities? What role do our institutions play in creating, maintaining, and magnifying those inequities? What role do we play?

With a perspective that is at once scientific, investigative, and informed by personal experience, Cleveland native and Beachwood High School graduate, Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt offers us the language and courage we need to face one of the biggest and most troubling issues of our time. She exposes racial bias at all levels of society—in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and criminal justice system. Yet she also offers us tools to address it.

Eberhardt shows us how we can be vulnerable to bias but not doomed to live under its grip. Racial bias is a problem that we all have a role to play in solving.

An inspiring guide from Dolly Chugh, an award-winning social psychologist at the New York University Stern School of Business, on how to confront difficult issues including sexism, racism, inequality, and injustice so that you can make the world (and yourself) better.

Many of us believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion. But how do we stand up for those values in our turbulent world? The Person You Mean to Be is the smart, "semi-bold" person’s guide to fighting for what you believe in.

Whether you are a long-time activist or new to the fight, you can start from where you are. Through the compelling stories Dolly shares and the surprising science she reports, Dolly guides each of us closer to being the person we mean to be.

UCC Programming

Wednesday, February 23, 6:00pm ET

Descended From the Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street

Learn More/Register

Supporting Black-owned Restaurants

Interesting in supporting black-owned restaurants when you're dining out? Here's a list of restaurants and businesses compiled by a Cleveland area church.

Restaurant List

Places to Visit: Whitney Plantation

First Congregational Church of Hudson member Trip Kern recently visited Whitney Plantation with his family. It is the only museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people. He shared photos from this moving experience with Be the Bridge participants.

This e-newsletter was created to share programming taking place at First Congregational Church and provide resources for additional information on the topic of racial justice.

You're receiving this email because you previously registered for racial justice programming. Email mkisthardt@hudsonucc.org with comments and suggestions for future issues.