A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School

The Schoolhouse Gate: Public Education, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for the American Mind by Justin Driver (2019)

This book examines the many legal battles conducted over the state of education in the United States. By examining the historical legacy of how the Supreme Court has engaged in matters of education, Driver builds a case for how the Supreme Court has failed in creating measures to provide equal public education for all since the 1970s. Like the segregation and educational redlining LaNier describes, these failures are related to systemic racism in the United States. Actions commonly undertaken by schools, such as random drug testing and searches, repressive dress codes, and “zero tolerance” laws often have racialized undertones and disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and other students of color.

A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne Theoharris (2018)

This book addresses common “fables” people tell about Civil Rights History. One of the most pertinent myths debunked by this book is that the Civil Rights movement ended anti-Black racism in the US. Rather, the wide reach of systemic racism across the national infrastructure has institutionalized and engrained anti-Black racism. While LaNier and her comrades are Civil Rights icons, the fight for equity in education continues through the 21st century.