Eve L. Ewing on Original Sins
February 18, 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM America/Chicago
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, Ewin is joined by Nakisha Hobbs for a conversation. Free copies will be distributed to attendees.
This program is co-sponsored by UIC Black Studies, WLRC, and Gallery 400. The event is free and CART captioning will be available. For questions and access accommodations, email gallery400engagement@gmail.com.
Learn more on the Gallery 400 website here!
Date posted
Feb 5, 2025
Date updated
Feb 5, 2025