Local libraries to host Oct. 13 webinar on 'The Color of Law & Reversing Segregation'
More than four dozen suburban libraries are joining with the Racial Awareness in the North Shore and the Together is Better Alliance in presenting the online program, "The Color of Law & Reversing Segregation" with Richard Rothstein on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The Zoom program will be 7 to 8 p.m.
Rothstein presents on the policies that led to racial segregation in American communities, and what can be done to reverse these practices and work toward racial equity.
Rothstein is a Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Policy Institute and a Senior Fellow (emeritus) at the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He is the author of the 2017 book, "The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America," which recovers a forgotten history of how federal, state, and local policy explicitly segregated metropolitan areas nationwide, creating racially homogenous neighborhoods in patterns that violate the Constitution and require remediation. He is also the author of many other articles and books on race and education, which can be found on his webpage at the Economic Policy Institute. Previous influential books include "Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic and Educational Reform to Close the Black - White Achievement Gap" (2004) and "Grading Education: Getting Accountability Right" (2008).
Register via your library website for Zoom webinar link. A link will be emailed to all registered patrons shortly before the program.
The program is co-sponsored by the following libraries: Algonquin Area Public Library District, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Aurora Public Library, Bloomingdale Public Library, Blue Island Public Library, Calumet City Public Library, Chillicothe Public Library District, College of DuPage Library, DeKalb Public Library, Des Plaines Public Library, Downers Grove Public Library, Eisenhower Public Library, Elmhurst Public Library, Elmwood Park Public Library, Forest Park Public Library, Fox River Valley Libraries, Freeport Public Library, Glencoe Public Library, Glenview Public Library, Grayslake Area Public Library, Highland Park Public Library, Hinsdale Public Library, Homer Township Public Library, Indian Prairie Public Library, Indian Trails Public Library, Joliet Public Library, Kankakee Public Library, Lake Bluff Public Library, Lake Forest Library, Lake Villa District Library, Lincolnwood Public Library, Morton Grove Public Library, Mount Prospect Public Library, Normal Public Library, Northbrook Public Library, Oakton Community College Library, Oswego Public Library District, Palatine Public Library District, Park Forest Public Library, Park Ridge Public Library, Peoria Public Library, River Forest Public Library, Roselle Public Library District, Skokie Public Library, St. Charles Public Library, Town & Country Public Library, Vernon Area Public Library District, Wheaton Public Library, and the Wilmette Public Library.
RAIN (Racial Awareness in the North Shore) generally meets the first Tuesday of the month via Zoom or the Northbrook Library to plan future events. Learn more at www.rain.community.
The Together is Better Alliance seeks to "end racial bias and inequality by confronting our difficult past courageously, thoughtfully and honestly together." The nonprofit works to provide historical content and facilitate thoughtful and informed conversations about racial exclusion, injustice and violence. For details, visit www.togetherisbetteralliance.org.