James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
Publication year 1862
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, French Literature
Les Misérables (in English, The Wretched or The Miserable Ones) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo, published for the first time in 1862. The story follows several characters through early- to mid-19th century France as they seek redemption for their sins and an escape from poverty. As well as being praised as one of the greatest novels of its time, Les Misérables has been adapted for many other formats, most notably a very... Read Les Misérables Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1936
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Social Justice, African American Literature, Harlem Renaissance, History: U.S., American Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Music
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Great Depression, Children's Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981) is part of the Logan Family Saga by author Mildred D. Taylor. The series follows the fortunes of a Black farming family, the Logans, through more than one generation as they experience the tribulations of life in the South before the Civil Rights era. The saga consists of 10 novels and novellas. The award-winning novels include The Land (2001), Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976), and The Road... Read Let The Circle Be Unbroken Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Place
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1881
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1900
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Inspirational, African American Literature, American Literature, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.
Publication year 1946
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Community
Tags African American Literature, Classic Fiction, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Race / Racism
“Like A Winding Sheet” is a short story by African American writer Ann Petry, originally published in 1945 and included in the 1946 collection of Best American Short Stories. Like many of Petry’s novels and short stories, “Like A Winding Sheet” examines how racism within American society impacts the personal lives of working-class African American people. In the story, Petry is especially interested in how racism is an inescapable part of life in New York... Read Like a Winding Sheet Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender
Tags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Latin American Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWI / World War I, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Philosophy, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Social Justice, Education, Education, LGBTQ, Philosophy
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Gary D. Schmidt’s Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), an historical novel for young adults, received the Newbery Honor in 2005. It is based on actual events occurring on Malaga Island, Maine in 1912, when the government of Maine placed the residents of the island in a mental hospital and tore down their homes.Turner Buckminster is the son of a reverend living in Phippsburg, Maine in 1912. Turner has just relocated to Phippsburg from... Read Lizzie Bright And The Buckminster Boy Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Incarceration, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America is a work of nonfiction by James Forman Jr., an American lawyer and legal scholar specializing in racial inequities in criminal justice. Published in 2017, this critically acclaimed book examines the complex role Black leaders played in advancing tough-on-crime policies that ultimately contributed to the mass incarceration of Black people in the United States. Drawing on his experience as a public defender and his extensive... Read Locking Up Our Own Summary
Publication year 1738
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Satire, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Age of Enlightenment, Neoclassical, British Literature, Finance / Money / Wealth, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 1851
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: European, Social Justice, Poverty, Journalism, British Literature, Sociology, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World