Resources for Early Childhood Educators on Race

A list of resources to help educate, inform, and spark important conversations.

The African American Experience: Booklist for Adults Inspired by the Charlottesville Community Civil Rights Pilgrimage
A book list inspired by a 2018 community civil rights pilgrimage from Virginia to Montgomery, Alabama.

The African American Experience: Films on Kanopy
The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (JMRL) presents a collection of films available for library card holders to watch. From documentaries to thrillers, explore the diverse visual works available to stream for free on Kanopy. Even if you don’t have a JMRL card, it is a good list of films to find and watch on your own.

The African American Experience: Memoirs by Women
Explore the personal stories of political activists, literary giants, and other women who challenged perspectives and overcame biases surrounding race, sex, and class to become inspiring leaders.

Black History Museum
The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia celebrates the rich culture and moving histories of African American people in Virginia and their contributions to our magnificent country. The mission is to preserve stories that inspire.

Black Lives Matter Instructional Library
A wonderful visual resource with books and links to “read aloud” samples.

Brightly – Black Boy Joy: 30 Picture Books Featuring Black Male Protagonist
Finding good, quality books featuring people of color is hard – this list is a great start.

Deseret News
A list of 12 books to help spark a discussion about protests and race.

Embrace Race
Looking for Excellent “Diverse” Books for Children? Start Here!

Hi Mama – Early Education Blog
A list of books and tips for talking with children about race.

Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center’s mission is to honor and preserve the rich heritage and legacy of the African-American community of Charlottesville-Albemarle, Virginia and to promote a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, the contributions of African Americans and peoples of the Diaspora locally, nationally and globally.

National Museum of African American History & Culture
The newest addition to the Smithsonian cohort of museums, this is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture.

Support Strategies to Address Challenging Behaviors When Plans Are Not Working
Webinar recorded February 28 and presented by Dr. Angela Searcy, this webinar shares best practices for how to address intense challenging behaviors in early learning environments.

Talk of the Teachers Lounge: Exploring Challenging Behaviors and Implicit Bias
Webinar recorded in 2021 and presented by Dr. Angela Searcy, this webinar challenges educators to stop, reflect on their own implicit biases, and grow so they can better understand and serve children exhibiting challenging behaviors within their classroom.

Virginia Center for the Book
This site provided complimentary books while schools were closed, and although they may not be distributing the books now, it is a good list of books to read.

We Need Diverse Books
A solid list of resources on books and where to find them.

Zero to Three
Great resources including these articles: Using Stories to Nurture Identity and The First Step for Addressing Bias in Infant and Toddler Programs

Zinn Education Project – Teaching Peoples History
A critical review of films on the Civil Rights Movement and institutionalized racism, with dozens of recommendations of films to watch and those to avoid.

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