Mary Barr writes about race in Chicago's northern suburbs. She is the author of Friends Disappear: The Battle for Racial Equality in Evanston, which details the city's 1960s civil rights history. Despite its reputation as an inclusive city, Evanston was no less segregated than cities down South. Blacks and whites attended separate schools, hospitals, and YMCAs. Evanstonians organized and demanded change. In 1967, Evanston became one of the first northern cities to desegregate its public schools. While racial balance in the schools was achieved, a fully integrated educational system was not. Barr will discuss the flawed plan during her talk.
Event—Public Programming