16 books on race and white privilege that will show you what's really happening in America right now

Thomonique Moore is a 2016 graduate of Howard University, founder of Books&Shit book club, and an incoming Masters' candidate at Columbia University's Teacher's College.Thomonique Moore

• Hundreds of thousands of Americans are taking to the streets for Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
• Now is an excellent time for white and non-black Americans to educate themselves on the history of racial oppression in the US.
• Black sociology, literary, and history scholars shared their top book recommendations for people looking to educate themselves on anti-racism.
• The works include books like "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon and "How to Be Less Stupid About Race" by Crystal Fleming.

Now is the time for Americans to educate themselves on racial inequality and oppression in the US.

Protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd swept the country this week, and more Americans are talking about how to be an ally for black people. In this era, it's not enough for allies to say they're "not racist," activists and leading scholars are saying. Instead, they have to actively adopt anti-racism, which is the set of beliefs and actions that oppose racism and promote the inclusion and equality of black and brown people in society.

One important way to learn about anti-racism is by reading. As Vulture aptly puts it, "The how could this happen meets the I told you so. They rendezvous at the anti-racist reading list."

Business Insider reached out to black professors and scholars at institutions across the country. Here are the books they recommend Americans read right now.