5 books about race every law student should read

For weeks now, protests against police brutality have spread across the United States and throughout the world following the death of George Floyd. Amid the growing unrest, many Black Canadians have pointed out that this country is not immune to systemic racism and structural inequalities. As law students,  we recognize that the Canadian legal system is not without fault and has repeatedly failed black folks. To dismantle these systems, it is important that we first understand their history. We’ve compiled a list of 5 books to read about race in Canada in English  and French. 

English 

Colour-coded: A Legal History of Racism in Canada, 1900-1950  by Constance Backhouse 

Historically, Canadians often consider themselves to be free racial prejudice and the 400 years of oppression commonly associated with the United States. In this book, Constance Backhouse exposes the long history of white supremacy in our legal system by taking a look at 6 court cases in the first half of the 20th century.  Through these cases, she presents and exposes how blatant and systematic racism was created and enforced to the black letter law. A must read for anyone aspiring to go to law school. 

Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present  by Robyn Maynard 

In Policing Black lives, Montrealer Robyn Maynard recounts the history of anti-blackness in Canada from slavery  to the prison complex and beyond. She highlights the legacy slavery has left on state institutions and the black community in Canada. She particularly highlights the struggles of the undocumented black community: queer, trans, undocumented, with disabilities. 

Bonus:  this book is also available in French !

They Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up by Eternity Martis

University is supposed to be fun but navigating white spaces can be exhausting. In her memoir, Eternity Martis recounts her university experience as one of the few white students at Western University. From being the only person of colour in your class to students wearing blackface, Martis provides a taughfult insight about the university experience from black perspective. 

Français 

11 brefs essais contre le racisme: pour une lutte systémique 

Avec les textes de: Stella Adjokê, Idil Issa, Marc-Édouard Joubert, Lucie Lamarche, Widia Larivière, Christian Nadeau, Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye, Alexandra Pierre, Will Prosper, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Fabrice Vil, Webster et Amel Zaazaa

On entend souvent dire qu’il n’y a pas de racisme systémique au Québec mais qu’est-ce que le racisme systémique en vérité? Qu’est-ce que l’on entend par système? Dans cette collection d’essais, les auteurs tentent de décrire et lutter contre ce phénomène d'oppressions vécues par les personnes racisés au Québec. Les auteurs nous transmettent le message suivant: la lutte antiraciste est  l’affaire de tout le monde.

Noirs du Québec (1629-1900) par Daniel Guay

Nous sommes ici depuis plus de 400 ans. Dans ce livre, Daniel Guay retrace l’histoire des noires au Québec dans un contexte international.  Il y présente les contributions peu connues de notre communauté au fil des derniers siècles. 

La plupart de ces livres sont disponibles sur le site de la librairie Racines qui se situe à Montréal-Nord. Elle offre une variété de livres et cherche à mettre en valeur les auteurs racisés. https:/www.librairieracinescom/