If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me that race shouldn’t matter when it comes to choosing children’s books, I’d be writing this post from the porch of my exotic villa in some warm oceanfront locale. But instead, I’m typing away on a turbulent plane ride as I try to remain focused on the task at hand.

Race shouldn’t matter.

But it does.

Telling Black people not to consider race when raising their kids is ridiculous. W.E.B. DuBois eloquently described the dilemma parents face in rearing Black children:

“To educate them in human hatred is more disastrous for them than to the hated. To seek to raise them in ignorance of their racial identity and peculiar situation is inadvisable—impossible.”

The True Brownies, The Crisis 18, no. 6, October 1919, p. 285

If we don’t help our children understand the past and how it continues to impact their lives today, they’ll be lost and confused when inevitably faced with hatred and indifference based solely on their appearance. Black people in America are indeed in a peculiar situation, and there is literally NO ONE who will help a child navigate that situation better than their parents. Yet, if we aren’t careful with how we tell the story, we risk turning them against white Americans, a move that is against our faith and our calling.

The balance is not easy. In fact, it’s more challenging than you’ll ever know. So rather than telling me that Black kids should kick back and ONLY find deeper meaning in the traditional canon of (white) literature, why not actually help solve the problem we’re desperately trying to address? A “do nothing” strategy has not served Black children, ever. So that’s a no-go.

The better use of energy would be to work toward a society in which race matters far less. When that happens, Black parents won’t have to guide their children so expertly through a childhood where the potential of bone-crushing identity-rattling racism and prejudice lurk at every turn. Simply saying “race doesn’t matter” (as your own children are surrounded by a lifeline of images and text so strong that they never once question their humanity) is a dismissive copout for not wanting to (1) face reality, (2) examine your role in that reality, and (3) do something about it.

Attaching “colorblind” bookshelves to righteous living is incredibly misguided. The Bible says, “Though shalt not steal,” but you keep your car and house doors locked at all times because the world we live in is not free from evil. So, while you may not steal from others, they may rob you blind.

I feel that some white parents are trying to get the parents of Black children to leave their doors unlocked because “we are all the same.” We are not all treated the same though, and books are just one way to help prepare our children for a world where they won’t always be judged by the content of their character. Books are also a way for Black children to learn about where they came from and the beautiful aspects of their unique culture. Black books are entertainment, doors to new worlds, cozy blankets, wild adventures, purveyors of wisdom, and much, much more.

Interestingly, reading Black books hurts no one. Literally no one. So I have to just shake my head when defending the assertion that kids should read a lot more Black books. What is the big deal? Who is harmed by Black stories? There’s nothing but upside in it, yet the pushback remains. I seriously cannot think of any rationale beyond racism and perhaps fear of losing the monopoly on booklists as more and more parents seek diverse illustrations, stories, and voices.

It would be utterly ridiculous for white parents to even imagine that their children would never read anything written by or about a white person. Just think of it. People would FREAK out and totally lose their minds. Yet, there are some who feel that it’s perfectly normal for a Black child to live that way because “race doesn’t matter.” Until recently, few people even considered how strangely inside-out a Black child’s education can be if a highly motivated parent doesn’t step in to turn things around.

I’d love for my primary work to become obsolete. I would eagerly celebrate an early retirement from advocating for voices of color to be included in children’s worlds, especially their literary lives. If the mere thought of mirrors and windows keeps you up at night, you should work to eradicate the need for such intense focus on broad reading. We’ll know that race doesn’t matter in books when it doesn’t matter in life. Until then, the only honest thing that can be said is:

Race shouldn’t matter.

But as long as it does, I’ll be here ensuring that generations of children have the opportunity to intimately know one another and for that knowing to rest on the firm foundation of everyone’s humanity, innately bestowed upon them by the Father.

If you want to learn more about this topic and many other aspects of broad, open-handed family living, check out my book A PLACE TO BELONG: Raising Kids to Celebrate Their Heritage, Community, and the World, and visit me @heritagemomblog.