20 books to better understand race and racism

Since 1926, Black History Week, and later Black History Month, have been celebrated each February in the United States, with a series of events that aim to acknowledge the contributions of African-Americans. The idea later spread to Canada, to the UK and elsewhere around the world. Since the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, bookstores have seen sharp increases in demand for books on Black history and issues of race and privilege. Here is one non-exhaustive reading list to start your own exploration.