The following blog post was created by De La Salle Academy's Social Justice/Community Service 2018-2019 8th grade class, and highlights materials they have researched and chosen. This is the second year that students from De La Salle Academy have visited the New York Public Library as part of their class project to research and discuss social justice matters, and bring to light contemporary issues important to them.

For the first quarter, the 8th graders, tasked with choosing subject matter under the broad umbrella of social justice, reflected, debated and, ultimately chose to discuss the current state of immigration in the United States. Their resource list below covers a broad range of subject matter on immigration, from the origins of American government policy to its current state, even as specific as the trauma of separating children from their caregivers at the border.

The articles and circulating books in the resource list were put on display at the Mid-Manhattan Library for our patrons to peruse. While the books were only displayed temporarily, they are still in the collection and available by request at your preferred library.

After researching the resources in our collection, both online and in the building, and placing requests for other nonfiction material, the students were able to share deeper reflections and discussions with each class visit to the Library.

Each item or article has a quick summary, and an annotation or reflection by a student, and has been purposefully chosen to be used by any patron, all New Yorkers with an NYPL library card.

-Young Adult Services, Mid-Manhattan Library at 42nd St
-De La Salle Academy’s Social Justice/Community Service Project, 8th Grade, Class of 2019

Recommended Titles 

The  New Human Rights Movement: Reinventing the Economy to End Oppression

by Peter Joseph

Student annotation: This book gives examples of power abuse that have been in the U.S. before the 2000s, and the effect it's had on the current government.

How to Get a Green Card (NOLO)

by Ilana Bray, JD and Loida Nicolas Lewis, JD
Updated by Attorney Kristina Glasson

Student annotation: Curious about how to become an official citizen of the United States? The process is arduous and complicated. Need a reference in case something goes wrong? This book gives you this information and more!
 

The Father Effect

by John Finch with Blake Atwood

Annotation by Ada: When a parent is taken away from their child, there are many psychological effects the child will go through, lasting well into their childhood.



 

 

The Road to Unfreedom

by Timothy D Snyder

Annotation by Marcos: The Road to Unfreedom is an extensive report on the relations between Europe, Russia, and the United States. Through the controversies and conspiracies that flood the current media channels, there is a world of influence, morals, ideals, and politics.

 

Sh*t Show! The Country's Collapsing... and the Ratings are Great

by Charlie Leduff

 

Student annotation: From watching children cross on a raft to tensions increasing, Charlie shows the behind-the-scenes perfectly.

 

 

 

Denied, Detained, Deported: stories from the dark side of American Immigration

by Ann Bausum

Annotation by Vanya: This book is about the impact that family separation has on others. Adding on, it explores the mental and physical effects.

 

 

Deportation: The Origins of U.S. Policy

by Torrie Hester

Annotation by Eileen: This book talks about everything you want to know about U.S. deportation policies. From the first policy created to now, it shows the evolution of deportation.


 

 

The Endtimes of Human Rights

by Stephen Hopgood

Student annotation: A great book about the negative effects that governments make when they don’t take human rights into consideration.


 

 

 

How Democracies Die

by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt

Annotation by Marcos: How Democracies Die investigates examples in history in which leaders have risen to power, ultimately bringing down democracy.

This research by Harvard University goes deep into the motives and actions of the Trump presidency.  

 

 

Before the Quagmire: American Intervention in Laos, 1954 - 1961

by William J. Rust

 

Annotation by Ramatou: The events that lead up to the Vietnam War are up for debate, but this is definitely one of the causes.



 

 

Imperial Benevolence

by Scott Laderman and Tim Gruenewald

 

Annotation by Suzan: This book explains how Donald Trump has made a huge impact on the rights of citizens in the U.S. The number of refugees allowed into the U.S. was decreased by more than half in 2018.
 

 

"How Muslim women bear the brunt of Islamophobia"

Washington Post article by Rana Elmir

(The Washington Post can also be accessed via our Library's Articles & Databases.) 

Reflection by Ramatou: This article talks about the hardships that Muslim women go through. It says, "A 35-year-old woman was standing outside a Valentino store in Manhattan when, as she later told police, she felt heat on her left side. Her blouse was on fire, and a man stood nearby with a lighter in his hand.” This woman did not deserve to get set on fire because she was openly Muslim. In 2016, there was a series of acid attacks in the UK against Muslim people, there was also a day created called Punish-a-Muslim Day. These are all hate crimes against Islamic peoples. I am Muslim but do not wear a hijab in public for the fear that something like this might happen to me. It is unfair to discriminate against an entire religion because of the actions of a radical group of people.