Top 10 Books On Environmental Racism

Written by Isaias Hernandez

1.) A Terrible Thing To Waste – Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind , Written By Harriet A. Washington

Examines how African-Americans and other People of Color are exposed to higher rates of environmental pollutants while also having to be neglected by doctors. This is a great read for those wanting to understand medical apartheid and its implication that is has towards marginalized communities.

You can buy it HERE (avoid Amazon)

2.) There’s Something In The Water – Environmental Racism In Indigenous and Black Communities , Written By Ingrid R.G. Waldron

Looks into environmental racism cases throughout Canada and how corporations and governments have failed to protect Black and Indigenous communities. This novel was later adapted to a recent documentary in 2020, directed by Ellen Page, you can watch the documentary on Netflix.

You can buy it HERE (avoid Amazon)

3.) From The Ground Up – Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement , Written By Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster

The environmental justice movement was created by grassroots activists from low-income marginalized communities. This book covers how the environmental justice movement came to birth and why it was important to recognize that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities were not designed equally.

You can read it Free HERE Provided by NYU (Avoid Amazon)

4.) Black Faces, White Spaces Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans To The Great Outdoors , Written By Carolyn Finney

This books looks into how African Americans are rooted in the environment and redesigning the relationship of what it means to be outdoors. Most often not, conservation movements have excluded the voices of marginalized communities and have uphold White Supremacy. Goes in-depth with Black history, geography, and outdoor spaces.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

5.) What is Critical Environmental Justice? Written By David Naguib Pellow

Black Lives Matter, Prison Industrial Complex System, and others are interconnected to environmental justice. This book examines a multitudes of frameworks that argues that these issues are all interrelated to the larger context of environmental injustice.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

6.) Toxic Communities Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, And Residential Mobility? Written By Dorceta E. Taylor

This book examines how low-income communities that are predominately composed of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are historically oppressed due to systematic racism and policies that allowed corporations to enter their environments. Corporate greed has contributed to injustice and this also examines the relationships communities have to mobilize against toxic industries.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

7.) Faces of Environmental Racism: Confronting Global Issues of Global Justice? Written By Laura Westra & Bill E. Lawson

This book examines how the Global North has contributed to producing a variety of global environmental injustices and its future health effects it can have. While it is important to recognize the harm that is done in the United States, many countries outside of the Global North have been experiencing it for decades.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

8.) Polluted Promises – Environmental Racism and the Search for Justice In A Southern Town Written By Melissa Checker

Southern states have some of the highest rates of reported Environmental injustice cases while experiencing high rates of poverty for Black and Brown communities. Corporations are not held accountable while also upholding failed promises for citizens.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

9.) Unequal Protection: Environmental Justice and Communities of Color Written By Robert D. Bullard

Often known as the Father of the Environmental Justice movement, he looks into a case study in Alabama of how African-Americans were exposed to high levels of DDT. The question for environmental rights arises of who is actually protected and who isn’t.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

10.) Environmentalism and Economic Justice – Two Chicano Struggles In The Southwest Written By Laura Pulido

We are down to the final environmental racism books on my list. During the 1960s-1970s, the Environmental Justice and Racism movement became more popularized which arose from frontline communities. This looks into the uprising in migrant farmworkers that were exposed to toxic pesticides and how they seek to advocate for economic and environmental justice.

You can buy it HERE (Avoid Amazon)

While there are so many more Environmental Racism books out there, I challenge everyone to continue expanding their knowledge and support BIPOC environmental authors.