In the 1950s and 1960s, white officials in communities across America drained their public swimming pools rather than integrate them. Thus, everyone suffered. That is just one of the anchoring anecdotes in HEATHER McGHEE’s revelatory and compassionate book, The Sum of Us, about how racism and the policies of exclusion have hurt everyone, distorting not just the soul of the country but also its economy. An expert in economic and social policy and now a best-selling author, she will talk about her book and about her comprehensive research. She will also tell us why, after traveling around the country and encountering so many good-hearted and hopeful people, she remains optimistic that we can come together to form a kinder, more generous, and healthier union.

Photo credit: Andreas Burgess