Last updated: July 22, 2020

We maintain a list of local actions and resources in the fight against racism here in and around the Netherlands, including but not limited to the literary and arts community, aimed especially for those of us who are white. You can read the most recent iteration of this list here.

We have grouped some of these resources on this page in the following lists:

Literary reading list

Luckily with the work we do, we meet a lot of writers with books. Here’s a reading list that highlights local Black poets, novelists, and the in-between.

Where possible, we link to English translations (unfortunately rare) and to the publishers directly. For these and other titles, you can also contact Bijlmer Bookstore to see if they have them in stock. Another great resource for children’s books, with a multilingual selection, is EduCulture.

We encourage you to explore these writers and their works, not all of which are listed here. If you know of a book that should be on this list, we welcome suggestions.

The Bearable Ordeal of the Collapse of Certainties, T. Martinus

Bokman, Dean Bowen

Brief aan Cooper en de wereld, Dalilla Hermans

Brown Girl Magic, Dalilla Hermans, illust. Fatinha Ramos

Chrysanten, roeiers, Hans Favery

Democratie kun je niet eten, Alphonse Muambi

Drakendochter, Clarice Gargard

De god met de blauwe ogen, Babah Tarawally

De Goede Immigrant, ed. Dipsaus Podcast

Habitus, Radna Fabias

Hardop, ed. Babs Gons

hoe de eerste vonken zichtbaar waren, Simone Atangana Bekono

Hoe kan het toch?, Babs Gons

De Kleenex Kronieken, Neske Bets

De koningin van Paramaribo, Clark Accord

Ik heb een fiets gekocht, Gershwin Bonevacia

Land of My Fathers, Vamba Sherif

Laten we het er maar niet over hebben, Akwasi

Met Safaa komt de regen, Ahmad Al Malik

On Black Sisters’ Street, Chicka Unigwe

Schuim, Alfred Schaffer

We Slaves of Suriname, Anton de Kom

ZWART, ed. Vamba Sherif, Ebissé Rouw

Local organizations

One concrete way do the work is to donate, if you can, to local organizations at the frontlines. If you can’t donate, you can also support them by following their socials and getting involved: show up, volunteer.

If you know of an organization that should be on this list, we welcome suggestions.

Bij1
A political party focused on fighting racism and discrimination in the Netherlands

The Black Archives
Historical archive documenting the history of black emancipation movements and individuals in the Netherlands

Black Queer Trans Resistance
Countering racism, transphobia and homophobia through marches, intergenerational meetups and archival work

Controle Alt Delete
Working to end racial profiling in the Netherlands

Nederland Wordt Beter
Educational resources on the history and impact of slavery and colonialism. Also leading the Kick Out Zwarte Piet action

News & media outlets

Dutch media is heavily whitewashed, and these are some of the outlets working to change that. Subscribe to, follow, and support (i.e. donate) these news platforms, podcasts, and presses. If you know of a news or media outlet that should be on this list, we welcome suggestions.

Zwarte Wijken/Black Neighborhoods
Cross-media investigative journalism project to map African narratives across Europe, initiated by journalists and writers Munganyende Hélène Christelle and Heleen Debeuckelaere

Black Speaks Black
Afro-European video & film productions

Dipsaus
Podcast run by WOC to amplify voices excluded in/by Dutch media

Grand Fresh
Podcast by writer Melat Gebeyaw Nigussie on race, gender, and identity

Lilith Mag
Intersectional grassroots media focused on women's rights in the Netherlands

Nozizwe delves into
Podcast by Nozizwe Dube, a Black Zimbabwean-Belgian woman, Young European of 2017, law student, public speaker, and human rights advocate

One World
Independent news platform dedicated to justice work through journalism

Project Wiaspora
Podcast by Simone Zeefuik and Richard Kofi where episodes featuring artists, musicians, and writers are recorded at important locations throughout the Netherlands

Uitgeverij Chaos
POC-run press bringing new and unheard voices into the Dutch literary landscape