Statistics on Police Violence in America
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by a police officer. In the aftermath of his death, the United States has erupted with protests calling for an end to police violence against black Americans and other Americans of color. This guide offers resources that can help explain the history of race in America, why these protests are happening now, and what we can do moving forward.
The graphic below illustrates the data around police violence toward black people in America. See more statistics about police violence in America at the links below the graphic. See the boxes below this one to find books, ebooks, podcasts, and movies on race in America.
Image from Mapping Police Violence
- Mapping Police ViolenceThis information has been meticulously sourced from the three largest, most comprehensive and impartial crowdsourced databases on police killings in the country: FatalEncounters.org, the U.S. Police Shootings Database and KilledbyPolice.net.
- Pew Research: 10 Things We Know About Race & Policing in the U.S.This is a roundup of Pew Research Center survey findings from the past few years about the intersection of race and law enforcement.
- Statista: Map of Police Violence Against Black AmericansSee a chart that shows the percent disparity between each state's African American population and percentage of blacks killed by police in 2019.
Films on Race in America
The documentaries below are available for free online. Click on the links to access the films.
- 13thCombining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America.
- LA 92National Geographic Documentary Films presents "LA 92," a riveting look back at the controversial Rodney King trial and subsequent protests, violence and looting of the city. Viewed from a multitude of vantage points through visceral and rarely seen archival footage, the film brings a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day.
The following documentaries are available on Hoopla, a streaming service available for free through the Kern County Library. Click on the links below to check out the films. You need to have a Kern County Library card to access these movies. If you do not already have one, sign up for an ecard at this link: https://www.kerncountylibrary.org/contact/
- I Am Not Your NegroFilmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, Remember This House. It is a journey into black history that connects the Civil Rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter. It questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond and examines the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
- Whose Streets?Told by activists and leaders who live and breathe this movement for justice, Whose Streets? is an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising and a powerful battle cry from a generation fighting, not for their civil rights, but for the right to live.
- Toni Morrison: The Pieces I AmTONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM offers an artful and intimate meditation on the life and works of the acclaimed novelist. From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to '70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own literature.
Podcasts on Race in America
Stream or download the following podcasts for free via any podcast streaming app (Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Apple Podcasts, etc.). These podcasts focus on racial equity and justice in America.
- The 1619 Project“1619,” a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, examines the long shadow slavery in America.
- Code SwitchHosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. We explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.
- About RaceFeaturing key voices from the last few decades of anti-racist activism, About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge looks at the recent history that lead to the politics of today.
- The Diversity GapThis project, The Diversity Gap, will empower people to create the cultures they say they want—cultures where all people are seen, celebrated and given the space to thrive.
- Intersectionality Matters!Hosted by Kimberle Crenshaw, this is the podcast that brings intersectionality to life.
- Pod For the CauseThe Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights launched “Pod for the Cause” podcast to expand the conversation on critical civil and human rights challenges of our day
- Pod Save the PeopleOn Pod Save the People, organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with fellow activists Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Sam Sinyangwe, and writer Dr. Clint Smith. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color.
Ebooks on Race in America
These books are available online through the BC Library. To access each book, simply click on the title of the book.
Brotherhood of Corruption: A Cop Breaks the Silence on Police Abuse, Brutality, and Racial Profiling by ISBN: 9781556525360Publication Date: 2004-08-01
The Ferguson Report: Department of Justice Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department by ISBN: 9781620971604Publication Date: 2015-06-23
Framing the Black Panthers: The Spectacular Rise of a Black Power Icon by ISBN: 9780252082641Publication Date: 2017-01-30
Mourning in America: Race and the Politics of Loss by ISBN: 9781501704956Publication Date: 2016-10-20
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by ISBN: 1595588191Publication Date: 2012-01-16
Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era by ISBN: 9781469634371Publication Date: 2017-12-18
Other Useful LibGuides
These links will take you to other guides by the BC Library that may be useful for learning about Black Lives Matter.
- Incarceration NationsThis guide focuses on the book Incarceration Nations and topics related to it such as: the school-to-prison pipeline, racism in law enforcement, the War on Drugs, and the prison industrial complex. It was created for Professor Alexander's ENGL B1A course, but anyone may use the resources listed on this guide.
- Social JusticeThis guide exists to help students research on issues related to social justice.
- UmojaUmoja is a state-wide community college program that seeks to educate the whole student through an ethic of love. African and African-American histories and voices are deliberately and intentionally acknowledged and are woven into the learning experience. This guide helps students in the Umoja program at BC research for their ENGL B1A papers, but the resources in this guide will be useful for anyone interested in African American history, as well those interested in racism in America.
- Fake NewsThe George Floyd protests have spurred a wide array of false or misleading news articles. This guide helps you understand how to spot fake news and how to find reputable news sources.
Print Books on Race in America
These books are available in print at the BC library. If you would like to check out one of these books, please start a chat with a librarian via the chat box on the library home page and let them know you would like to make an appointment to check it out. You may also call the Circulation Desk at 661-395-4661 to set up a check-out appointment.
So You Want to Talk about Race by Call Number: E184.A1 O454 2018ISBN: 9781580056779Publication Date: 2018-01-16
White Rage: The unspoken truth of our racial divide by Call Number: E185.61 .A5438 2016ISBN: 9781632864130Publication Date: 2017-09-05
Stamped from the Beginning: The definitive history of racist ideas in America by Call Number: E185.61 .K358 2016ISBN: 9781568584638Publication Date: 2016-04-12
When They Call You a Terrorist by Call Number: E185.97.K43 A3 2018ISBN: 9781250171085Publication Date: 2018-01-16
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Call Number: E185.97.L5 A3 1999ISBN: 0345350685Publication Date: 1987-10-12
Racial realities and post-racial dreams: The age of Obama and beyond by Call Number: E185.615 .B265 2016ISBN: 1554813166Publication Date: 2016
Between the World and Me by Call Number: E185.615 .C6335 2015ISBN: 9780812993547Publication Date: 2015-07-14
Democracy in Black: How race still enslaves the American soul by Call Number: E185.615 .G548 2016ISBN: 9780804137416Publication Date: 2016-01-12
White Fragility: Why it's so hard for white people to talk about race by Call Number: HT1521 .D486 2018ISBN: 9780807047415Publication Date: 2018-06-26
From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime by Call Number: HV9950 .H56 2017ISBN: 9780674737235Publication Date: 2016-05-02
Well-Read Black Girl: finding our stories, discovering ourselves: An anthology by Call Number: PS153.N5 W37 2018ISBN: 9780525619772Publication Date: 2018-10-30
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Call Number: PS3515.U789 T639 2006ISBN: 0060838671Publication Date: 2013-03-19
Dying of Whiteness: how the politics of racial resentment is killing America's heartland by ISBN: 9781541644984Publication Date: 2019-03-05
