20 Books About Black Lives Matter and Civil Rights to Put on Your Essential Reading List

In the form of two letters written on the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1963, the incredible James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time is both personal and educational. The shorter letter is written to his nephew about being Black in America, and the longer one shares thoughts on race, religion, and life. It's a great place to start when comparing the Civil Rights era to today — you'll see how much, and how little, has changed.