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Red Chicago

A visit with artists and public historians in Chicago who are working to keep the memory of the city's "Red Summer" alive.

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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.