What we’re about
This is a book club for Black women interested in reading and discussing books written by Black women (including but not limited to American, Caribbean, African, and European authors). I started this group to bring together people who love to read and who want to build a community focused on discovering, discussing, and celebrating the literature of Black women writers from across the African diaspora. We read literary fiction and nonfiction. We will meet monthly for book discussions at various locations across the city.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- #103: Original Sins by Eve L. EwingChinatown Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IL
Our May book selection is Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism by Eve L. Ewing. We will meet in the Community Room of the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library.
About the book: If all children could just get an education, the logic goes, they would have the same opportunities later in life. But this historical tour de force makes it clear that the opposite is true: The U.S. school system has played an instrumental role in creating and upholding racial hierarchies, preparing children to expect unequal treatment throughout their lives.
In Original Sins, Ewing demonstrates that our schools were designed to propagate the idea of white intellectual superiority, to “civilize” Native students and to prepare Black students for menial labor. Education was not an afterthought for the Founding Fathers; it was envisioned by Thomas Jefferson as an institution that would fortify the country’s racial hierarchy. Ewing argues that these dynamics persist in a curriculum that continues to minimize the horrors of American history. The most insidious aspects of this system fall below the radar in the forms of standardized testing, academic tracking, disciplinary policies, and uneven access to resources.
By demonstrating that it’s in the DNA of American schools to serve as an effective and underacknowledged mechanism maintaining inequality in this country today, Ewing makes the case that we need a profound reevaluation of what schools are supposed to do, and for whom. This book will change the way people understand the place we send our children for eight hours a day.
About the author: Eve L. Ewing is a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago. She is the award-winning author of four books: Electric Arches, 1919, Ghosts in the Schoolyard, and Maya and the Robot. She is the co-author (with Nate Marshall) of the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks and has written several projects for Marvel Comics. Ewing is an associate professor in the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other venues.
***Support Black Girls Read Chicago by purchasing Original Sins on Bookshop (affiliate link).
- Book Club Run: Last Summer on State Street (with Read & Run Chicago)Chicago Bee Branch, Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IL
Join Read & Run Chicago and Black Girls Read Book Club for a ~5-mile, easy-paced (11:00 min/mile) Book Club Run in Bronzeville inspired by Toya Wolfe's novel, Last Summer on State Street. Register here (cost: $35 for guided run and discussion; free for discussion only).
Guide Cynthia Okechukwu (organizer of Black Girls Read Book Club) will guide runners through various points of interest related to Wolfe's novel and discuss the protagonist's friendships and family life, as well as the rise and fall of Chicago's public housing and Dan Ryan construction as they relate to the story. Following the running route, we'll end at the Chicago Bee Library Branch (3647 S. State) for snacks and a book club discussion.
We'll also have Chicago Books to Women in Prison on site, so please plan to bring any donations to drop off before or after the guided route! Here are the donation requirements.
Be sure to read the novel ahead of time! Purchase your copy here.
Not planning to run? Cyclists, rollers, rollerblades, scooters, and more welcome (take care of your own safety, please!). All registered readers & runners will receive email reminders prior to the event.
- #104: Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule MarshallNeeds location
Our June book selection is Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule Marshall.
Location TBD.
About the book: Selina's mother wants to stay in Brooklyn and earn enough money to buy a brownstone row house, but her father dreams only of returning to his island home. Torn between a romantic nostalgia for the past and a driving ambition for the future, Selina also faces the everyday burdens of poverty and racism. Written by and about an African-American woman, this coming-of-age story unfolds during the Depression and World War II. Its setting—a close-knit community of immigrants from Barbados—is drawn from the author's own experience, as are the lilting accents and vivid idioms of the characters' speech. Paule Marshall's 1959 novel was among the first to portray the inner life of a young female African-American, as well as depicting the cross-cultural conflict between West Indians and American blacks. It remains a vibrant, compelling tale of self-discovery.
***Support Black Girls Read Chicago by purchasing Brown Girl, Brownstones on Bookshop (affiliate link)!***
- Trivia + Running Tour: We Are The Culture with author Arionne NettlesChicago Athletic Association, Chicago, IL
Join Read & Run Chicago and Black Girls Read Book Club for a a live trivia experience with journalist, educator, and author Arionne Nettles to celebrate her book, We Are the Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything, followed by a 3-mile running tour with guide Cynthia Okechukwu. Register here (cost: $35 for trivia and guided run; $15 for trivia only)
As we move through key Loop landmarks that pulse with cultural history, you'll hear stories of Black entrepreneurs, artists, and more who have shaped Chicago—and the world.
Expect a fun, joyful, and thought-provoking experience that blends movement, storytelling, and friendly trivia inspired by the book. Whether you're a Chicago native, a culture lover, or just want to move your body with community, this event is for you.
No prior reading required; books will be available for purchase at the event.
Not planning to run? Cyclists welcome (take care of your own safety, please!) and ticket option to attend only the lecture portion.
