Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Two young people are forced to make a stand in this thought-provoking look at racism and prejudice in an alternate society.

Sephy is a Cross -- a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought -- a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum -- a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?

New Boy by Tracy Chevalier

Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, a diplomat's son, Osei Kokote, knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day so he's lucky to hit it off with Dee, the most popular girl in school. But one student can't stand to witness this budding relationship: Ian decides to destroy the friendship between the black boy and the golden girl. By the end of the day, the school and its key players - teachers and pupils alike - will never be the same again.

The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970's suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Peeking over the shoulders of four 11 year olds Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant girlfriend Mimi, Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling.

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

Two young people are forced to make a stand in this thought-provoking look at racism and prejudice in an alternate society.

Sephy is a Cross -- a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought -- a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum -- a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It takes the events of one turbulent year—the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she's black—to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood. It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride—no matter how others may degrade them, the Logans possess something no one can take away.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

'The Guilty Party' by O. Henry

In The Guilty Party by O. Henry we have the theme of responsibility, selfishness, betrayal, sacrifice, love and redemption. Set in the late nineteenth century the story is narrated in the third person though Henry does briefly shift to the first person (Lizzie) near the end of the story.

'The Black Man's Burden' by Reverend H.T. Johnson

In February 1899, British novelist and poet Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem entitled “The White Man’s Burden: The United States and The Philippine Islands.” In this poem, Kipling urged the U.S. to take up the “burden” of empire, as had Britain and other European nations. African Americans, among many others, objected to the notion of the “white man’s burden.” Among the dozens of replies to Kipling’s poem was “The Black Man’s Burden,” written by African-American clergyman and editor H. T. Johnson and published in April 1899. A “Black Man’s Burden Association” was even organized with the goal of demonstrating that mistreatment of brown people in the Philippines was an extension of the mistreatment of black Americans at home.

'Testimony before the Senate hearings on the Equal Rights Amendement' by Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem (1934-present) is an American feminist, journalist, author, and social-political activist. She gained national recognition as a leader of the “Second Wave” feminist movement in the 1960s-1970s. On May 6th, 1970, Gloria Steinem stood before the Senate and delivered the following speech, advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA); this amendment, which has not been ratified, secures that one’s rights “shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” As you read, find evidence to answer this question: According to Steinem, what are the myths about women, and how are these myths harmful?

'Of Revenge' by Sir Francis Bacon

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, author, and advocate-practitioner of the scientific method during the Scientific Revolution. In this passage, he discusses the notion of revenge.

'Advice to the Newly Married Lady' by Samuel K. Jennings

Samuel K. Jennings (1771–1854) was the first president of Asbury College, a medical doctor, and a Methodist preacher. “Advice to the ‘Newly Married Lady’” was written as part of a compilation from the volume The Married Lady’s Companion, Or Poor Man’s Friend which was meant to provide medical advice for poor women in rural areas without access to a doctor.

'Why Do We Hate Love' by Robert Firestone

Loving another person and accepting love from another person can sometimes be a difficult or painful experience. In his article “Why Do We Hate Love,” Robert Firestone, Ph.D., explains why this may be the case.

'What Makes Good People Do Bad Things' by Melissa Dittman

In 1971, Phillip Zimbardo, a psychology professor at Stanford University, oversaw an infamous experiment called the Stanford Prison Experiment. In this article, Zimbardo discusses his conclusions regarding human nature.

A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller

Set on the gritty Brooklyn waterfront, "A View from the Bridge" follows the cataclysmic downfall of Eddie Carbone, who spends his days as a hardworking longshoreman and his nights at home with his wife, Beatrice, and niece, Catherine. But the routine of his life is interrupted when Beatrice's cousins, illegal immigrants from Italy, arrive in New York. As one of them embarks on a romance with Catherine, Eddie's envy and delusion plays out with devastating consequences.