Two New Books By Ibram X. Kendi
The well-known bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi published two new books yesterday in the U.S. through Penguin Random House. The parenting guide “How To Raise An Antiracist” was published by One World, and Kokila published the picture book “Goodnight Racism.” Every year on June 19, the U.S. celebrates Juneteenth to commemorate the abolition of slavery.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi is one of America’s best-known authors on the topic of racism. Yesterday, Penguin Random House published two new books by the well-known historian and racism researcher on a single day. One World published “How To Raise An Antiracist,” and Kokila released “Goodnight Racism.” Each year on June 19th, the U.S. commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States by celebrating Juneteenth.
The individual chapters in “How To Raise An Antiracist” - the title is a reference to Ibram X. Kendi’s best-selling book “How To Be An Antiracist” - follow the stages of child development from pregnancy to toddler to schoolkid to teenager. According to One World, the imprint that published Ibram X. Kendi’s previous books as well, it’s never too early or too late to raise young people to be antiracists, Published by children’s book publisher Kokila, “Goodnight Racism,” illustrated by Cbabi Bayoc, is a “modern bedtime classic” that gives children the language to dream of a better world, according to the publisher. The book is meant to start and sustain conversations about racism and injustice.
Ibram X. Kendi spoke about the two new releases on NPR public radio: “As parents, teachers and caregivers, we have a choice whether we talk to our kids about race. But we’re saying things to our kids about race when they look at their books or they look in the curriculum and almost everyone is white. We’re saying who we value.” And in the same way, when books are diversified, when “we explain to our kids that the inequality they see in our society is the result of bad rules and not bad people,” would also communicate with kids about race, he said.
Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. New York time via Zoom, there will be a Random House Juneteenth special celebration, titled “How to Talk to Kids About Antiracism, Slavery and Emancipation.” Ibram X. Kendi will discuss the topic of antiracism education with expert:s Ebony Thomas, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Austin Channing Brown, as well as illustrator Cabi Bayoc.
