This month on the Deerfield Public Library Podcast, we’re featuring a recent lecture at the Library by Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Rothstein’s widely praised book makes clear that the laws and policy decisions passed by local, state, and federal governments actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to this day–and uses Deerfield history as one of many examples.
This was the final program in our special series, The Fight to Integrate Deerfield: 60 Year Reflection, which featured discussions, lectures, and exhibits all focused on the history of Deerfield residents voting to block an integrated housing development intended for the Village in 1959. At the time, this attracted the attention of major civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and James Baldwin.
While our programs are over, there are several ways you can still explore this history at the Library. Our exhibits of photographs and displays of original materials through the end of this anniversary year. We also will continue to collect stories, reflections, and documents related to the fight over integrated housing in Deerfield. Find out more.
Finally, our online resources, including our newly digitized archives, videos of past programs (see Richard Rothstein’s lecture below), audio interviews, and more, will continue to be available on our website for future residents and researchers.
We hope you enjoy our 27th episode with Richard Rothstein! Each month we release an episode featuring a conversation with a dynamic guest with a Deerfield connection. Learn more about the podcast on our podcast page.
You can listen to all of our episodes in the player below or on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. We welcome your comments and feedback—please send to podcast@deerfieldlibrary.org.
