resources

resources

lit to spread

yummy yummy zines

lit to read

resources compiled by theoutsideagitator.com – an abolitionist publication serving chapel hill & beyond.

@theoutsideagitator on ig

Abolition 101 Summary & Walkthrough

Books

Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis – Angela Davis, a Black radical scholar and activist, argues the case for the abolition of prisons throughout this short but thorough book, detailing the history of carceral punishment and the many ways the prison industrial complex has and continues to expand and harm marginalized peoples in the United States and globally.
We Do This ‘Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba – This work is a collection of essays and interviews, which describe the Prison Industrial Complex and what the process of prison abolition would look like in our world, including steps that can be taken right now to work toward abolition.
Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur – Assata Shakur, a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, tells her life story. Shakur was falsely convicted for the murder of a police officer as a part of the FBI’s counterintelligence program targeting the leftist movement in the United States. Shakur talks about her experiences as a Black woman growing up in America, as a political activist and prisoner, and finally, as a mother and a prison escapee to Cuba. Today, Shakur is still wanted by the FBI.
Black Power: Politics of Liberation in America by Kwame Ture and Charles V. Hamilton – This work describes the Black Power movement in America, which is tied to dismantling white supremacy and establishing community between Black Americans. Kwame Ture, a leader of the Pan-African movement, and Charles V. Hamilton, a Black political scientist, highlight the difficulties Black communities face in being involved with politics and offer insight into the roots of racism in the country and how the political system can be changed.
Blood in My Eye by George L. Jackson – This book is a collection of writings and letters by George Jackson, a Black revolutionary, and prisoner during the Black liberation movement of the 1960s through ‘80s. Jackson was convicted of armed robbery and received a sentence of one year to life at eighteen years old. During his imprisonment, Jackson radicalized and pushed other prisoners to organize for their rights and freedom. In 1971, Jackson was killed by prison guards during an alleged escape attempt.
The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon – Frantz Fanon, a Black psychiatrist and political philosopher, writes about the process of decolonization, using his expertise as a psychiatrist to analyze the effect of imperialism on colonized peoples. He stresses that decolonization cannot happen peacefully and must be violent, since colonization itself is inherently linked with violence.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander – An account on mass incarceration and how the justice system controls Black communities by redesigning the racial caste system
Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? Police Violence and Resistance in the United States by Joe Macaré, Maya Schenwar, and Alana Yu-lan Price – A collection of reports and essays that explores police violence, the historical and global context of anti-blackness, and the possibilities for community organizing and envisioning a future for abolition.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nahisi Coates – “In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis… What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?” (From ta-nehisicoates.com)
From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yahmatta Taylor – This work focuses on the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement as it relates to police violence and brutality, and offers a perspective on what Black liberation will look like in the future.
Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom by Derecka Purnell – This novel examines the meaning of abolition within the context of society and highlights why our police system cannot be reformed; it also includes Purnell’s own journey on the road of abolition, including her initial skepticisms and concerns.
The Invention of the White Race, Volume 1 by Theodore W. Allen – In this book, Allen traces the origin of the construction of race and the creation of whiteness. He argues that before the 18th century, racial categories did not exist.
The 1776 Counter-Revolution: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States by Gerald Horne – Gerald Horne, an American historian and professor, describes how the 1776 American revolution was not a positive thing, especially for Africans, and how it triggered a counter-revolution of slavery.
Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During this crisis and the next by Dean Spade
The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (*excerpts from this book are on the syllabus for Intro to Disability Studies with Kym Weed, which I would totally recommend for folks needing an introduction to the Disability Justice field!)
Be a Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World—and How You Can, Too by Ijeoma Oluo
Skin, Tooth, and Bone: The Basis of Movement is Our People: A Disability Justice Primer by Sins Invalid. Sins Invalid is the group of disability scholars/activists who started the Disability Justice movement. (Also, there’s an excerpt of this as well for Intro to Disability Studies, so if you contact Prof Kym Weed, she’ll probably send you the free excerpt!)
Break de Chains of Legalized U.S. Slavery – A book of writings from incarcerated women in the Triangle during the 70s, collected by the Triangle Area Lesbian Feminists & the North Carolina Prison Book Project.
The Little Book of Restorative Justice by Howard Zehr (white man) but has a clear overview of RJ principles

Articles/Essays/Shorter Form Content

Films/Videos

Defunding vs. Abolishing the Police Explained in 6 minutes – Joseph Capehart (they/them), a teacher, organizer, and poet, discusses the distinction between defunding, reforming, and abolishing the police and why it is important to avoid conflating these ideas.
I Am Not Your Negro (2016) – This documentary is based on the unfinished manuscript, Remember This House by James Baldwin. It explores the experience experienced by various Civil Rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers through the eyes of Baldwin.
When They See Us (2019) – This limited series tells the stories of the Central Park Exonerated 5, five Black and Latinx boys who were found guilty of the rape of a white woman who was jogging in Central Park. This series offers a look into the failure that is our criminal justice system and how it continues to marginalize Black and brown bodies. Available on Netflix.
Just Mercy (2019) – Based on a true story, this film tells the story of a defense attorney who works to appeal the wrongful conviction of Walter McMillian, a Black man sentenced to death for the murder of an 18-year-old girl. Available on Hulu.
Fruitvale Station (2013) – Fruitvale Station explores the story of Oscar Grant III, a Black man who was murdered by a police officer in Oakland, California in 2009. Available on Hulu.
LA 92 (2017) – This documentary recounts the days of protests and riots in Los Angeles, 1992, following the acquittal of the police officers who stopped and brutalized Rodney King. Available on Netflix
13th (2016) – This documentary created by Ava DuVernay takes a look at the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States in relation to the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) and race. It expands on the racist history of the United States and explores the foundations of mass incarceration. Available on Netflix.
The Black Power Mixtape (2011) – This documentary compiles footage from the Black Power movement that Swedish filmmakers shot in the United States. Available on Sling and iTunes.
Disclosure (2020) – This documentary includes the voices of various trans actors and actresses that take a look at how Hollywood’s depiction of trans people has impacted the trans community. Available on Netflix.
Paris is Burning (1990) – A look at the 1980s “house” culture and the ballroom scene in New York, this documentary explores the rise of voguing, as well as the racism, poverty, and queerphobia experienced by performers in ballroom houses. Available on Apple TV and https://watchdocumentaries.com/paris-is-burning/.
We Need to Talk about Anti-Asian Hate (2021) – Eugene Lee Yang of the “Try Guys” takes a look at the alarming increase in anti-Asian related hate crimes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This documentary dives deeper into the history of anti-Asian sentiments and the treatment of people of Asian descent in the United States. Available on YouTube.
Give The Police Departments to the Grandmothers
Free Palestine Films
Becoming a Radical – Free Film List

Websites/Collections

Liberating Library Online Collection
Reclaiming the University of the People
FLOCK (Feminists Liberating Our Collective Knowledge) – formed in 2016 at UNC
Disability Visibility Project — this fabulous team, led by Disability Justice scholar Alice Wong, has blog posts, podcasts, and even a Palestine x Disability Justice syllabus on the website
Become a Radical – very in depth collection of free readings and books!
Barnard
- Zine Library’s Library
PaperCut Zine
Sherwood Forest
Illinois Library
ArabLit
Publishers for Palestine
Libraries and Archivists with Palestine
Pleasure Pie
C.H.E. Zine Digitization Project

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