James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Education, Education, History: World, Race / Racism, Incarceration, Black Lives Matter, History: U.S., Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Social Justice
Publication year 1895
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Classic Fiction
“We Wear the Mask” is one of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s most influential works. Appearing in 1895 in his second poetry volume Majors and Minors, the poem reflects an unspecified collective, a “we” hiding behind a “mask,” which is used throughout the poem as an extended metaphor for survival tactics against oppression. “We Wear the Mask” stands as a poem about racism and oppression and the marginalized.Dunbar’s voice as a major American writer is varied and... Read We Wear the Mask Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy is a collection of essays by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a regular contributor to The Atlantic and a commentator on matters of race, Black identity, and White supremacy. Published in 2017, the collection focuses on what accounts for America’s inability to escape its White supremacist past, the impact of the Obama presidency on American culture and the writer, and the enduring impact of slavery on the country; the... Read We Were Eight Years in Power Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags American Literature, History: World, History: U.S., Politics / Government
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by American historian Daniel Walker Howe, explores the changes the United States underwent in the early 19th century. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History, the book was published in 2007 as part of The Oxford History of the United States. Howe’s work explores the political, military, social, economic, and cultural developments that shaped the nation. Howe does not shy away from the complexities and contradictions of... Read What Hath God Wrought Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Business / Economics, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Jewish Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Animals
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography
When They Call You a Terrorist is a nonfiction memoir published in 2018 by the American authors and activists Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele. Subtitled A Black Lives Matter Memoir, the book chronicles Cullors’s early life in Los Angeles and her role in cofounding Black Lives Matter, a decentralized racial justice movement established after George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the Trayvon Martin shooting. The book’s title refers to accusations of terrorism lobbed at Cullors and her... Read When They Call You a Terrorist Summary