Harriet Tubman, stuffed ham and dealing with gun violence: What to read, watch over holidays
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As 2022 ends and things slow down for the holidays, there is time for reading and viewing.
The USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team has compiled a selection of books, articles and streaming material to enjoy on a day off, while waiting at the airport for your delayed flight, or waiting for a family dinner that takes too long to start. You can also share these culturally oriented works with a loved one or give as gifts.
Books
"Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy"
Letty Cottin Pogrebin has had a storied career as the founder of Ms. Magazine and the author of a dozen books. Her newest one, “Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy” (Post Hill Press; Sept. 2022) looks at growing up in a Jewish immigrant family in Queens and unearths their various secrets while exploring the whole notion of “Shanda,” which means shame in Yiddish.
"Grocery Shopping With My Mother"
Veteran writer Kevin Powell has written his first collection of poetry in 14 years, “Grocery Shopping With My Mother” (Soft Skull Press; December 2022). The 36 poems explore myriad topics from facing the reality of his mother growing older to being an African American man in the modern day. It also includes tributes to artistic heroes such as Hollywood legend Sidney Poitier and author bell hooks.
"Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us"
Alison Desir found herself struggling with depression when a high school friend’s training for a marathon spurred her to take up running. A personal journey that changed her life is chronicled in her book, “Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us” (Portfolio/Penguin; October 2022). Desir examines also how the sport has been a space dominated by white people and the challenges posed to people of color who take up running.
"Twenty Dollars and Change: Harriet Tubman and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice"
In 2016, the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement that the redesigned $20 bill would feature the image of legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the front and U.S. President Andrew Jackson spurred backlash and debate. “Twenty Dollars and Change: Harriet Tubman and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice” (City Lights Books; November 2022) by Clarence Lusane uses that moment as a springboard to probe the legacies of slavery and white supremacy in this country.
"What's Your ZIP Code Story? Understanding and Overcoming Class Bias in the Workplace"
Employees in any workplace all have a common goal, but most times come from various backgrounds and various ZIP codes. In the book “What's Your ZIP Code Story? Understanding and Overcoming Class Bias in the Workplace” (Rowman & Littlefield; May 2022), inclusivity trainer and consultant CJ Gross looks at how social class impacts the move up the career ladder.
Related:Colin Kaepernick, evictions and African American cuisine: What to read, watch over holidays
Articles
Dotbusters
In the summer of 1987, Indians moving to New Jersey’s second largest city, Jersey City, were confronted with racist attacks by a group of assailants who called them “Dotbusters.” The attacks left a legacy of racist aggression that continues to be felt years later. This article published in January on NorthJersey.com looks back at the attacks and those immigrants who fought back.
Churches and reparations
Faith institutions from New York to Texas are reckoning with their involvement centuries ago with slavery. A story that appeared on DelawareOnline.com in June looks at how churches are addressing reparations in the United States and leading the way on that issue.
Stuffed ham
St. Mary’s County in Southern Maryland has a unique culinary tradition — stuffed ham. The story of how this cherished dish has been passed down through generations in the African American community originally appeared in April on DelmarvaNow.com.
Documentaries
"Targeting Retaliation"
The Paterson Healing Collective in Paterson, New Jersey, has since 2020 helped victims of shootings with recovery and trauma but also how to choose not to retaliate. This 13-minute documentary by NorthJersey.com and The Record in November follows the group in their efforts and profiles the victims assisted by the group.
"Healing the Harm on Buffalo's East Side"
A mass shooting in a Buffalo, New York, supermarket in May by an 18-year-old white supremacist hit that city’s African American community hard as those killed and wounded were all Black. However, the tragedy did not stop two men — who grew up near the site of the shooting — from their work dealing with the harm caused by poverty and addiction. Their arc from a life of hard knocks to becoming community mentors is captured in this documentary by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Ricardo Kaulessar compiled this report. Kaulessar is a culture reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team. For unlimited access to the most important news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Pass the time with recommended books, stories and documentaries
