Join distinguished author and cultural organizer Eve L. Ewing for a reading of her latest book Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism.
Original Sins traces the history of the American education system, revealing how it was never neutral but deliberately designed to sustain racial inequality and hierarchies. Ewing interrogates the historical foundations of this system from the Founding Fathers’ vision of America and demonstrates how education was used as a tool to enforce white intellectual superiority, “civilize” Native students, and prepare Black students for menial labor. Moving beyond history, she illustrates how these inequities persist today through mechanisms like standardized testing, academic tracking, disciplinary policies, and the uneven distribution of resources across schools. Original Sins calls for a radical reevaluation of what schools are meant to be—and for whom. Following the reading, Ewing is joined by Nakisha Hobbs for a conversation. Free copies of Original Sins will be distributed to attendees.
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An initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art in partnership with artists and organizations across the city, Art Design Chicago is a series of events and exhibitions that highlight the city’s artistic heritage and creative communities.
