episode summary

On a hot day in 1919, an attack on African American teenagers near a Chicago beach stoked long-standing tensions between white and black residents. Violence erupted — and its aftermath shaped laws, housing, and opportunities for African American citizens for generations. Host Ed Ayers visits Chicago during the 100th anniversary of what became known as “Red Summer.” He meets a poet, performance artist, museum educator, and young people who are creating living memorials to a long-ignored past.

sites visited (in order of appearance on-screen)

• Chicago’s 29th Street Beach

• Newberry Library

• West Loop studio of artist Jefferson Pinder

• Chicago Public Library, Main Branch

coming soon

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