Book Recommendations

Truth and reconciliation, reparations and transformation are a priority in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. We are committed to making different choices than those who came before us, particularly as it relates to the Church’s role in slavery and systemic racism. We cannot do this without first discovering and telling the truth. Below are some books to help you get to know Baltimore better, its charm and its history. Understanding that we, together in the present day, have the power to make decisions as powerful as those that were made in the past, the power to repent, to turn around, to have a vision for and create a world that represents the Beloved Community, where we follow the Biblical mandate to do justice (love on a large scale) and recognize the dignity and value of every child of God, every human being.

NONFICTION
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

“As soon as I did that, I looked at the pattern of green dots, which represented African Americans,
and that pattern in East Baltimore and West Baltimore looked like the wings of the butterfly…
It seemed very apparent to me that this was a pattern I could refer to
if I want to talk about how Baltimore is very segregated.”

Dr. Lawrence Brown
author of The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America

Dr. Brown’s work includes research on the role the white Church played
in creating a segregated community in Baltimore. This book is useful
for any congregation seeking to understand how the Church has benefitted
from racism and how we can make different choices for our beloved community.

FAMOUS WRITERS IN BALTIMORE

We also believe in the power of storytelling. It would be impossible to list all of the books written about Baltimore and by Baltimore writers. The below titles are recommended by the Diocese of Maryland because we have experience with authors and their work. We have also included a small list of famous Baltimorean writers and stories on locations they lived in or visited, including some of our churches! For more information on Baltimore’s bookishness and literary history, browse Visit Baltimore. Learn about Baltimore’s spirit through the power of story by experiencing its literary scene.

For more information on Baltimore, its films, TV series, restaurants, cultural events, businesses and more, please browse Visit Baltimore.

“‘[Literacy] will forever make him unfit to be a slave.
He will at once become unmanageable and of no value to his master.’
These words sank deep in my heart.
From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom.”

Frederick Douglass