Originally written August 2022 This weekend I had an “ah-ha” moment—one of those realizations that many Black people may already know deep down, but I hadn’t fully connected the dots until now. I now have…
Category: Evanston
The town I grew up in and have lived for nearly 60 years.
African Centered Curriculum
- Posted on
- – 2 Comments on African Centered Curriculum
Below is the transcript of my speech addressed to the school board last night. Starting at minute 57:00 My name is Tracey Wallace, a lifelong Evanstonian and a member of the first desegregated class to…
Desegregation vs. Integration — Part I
Unlocking Doors vs. Building New Homes What is the difference between desegregation and integration? A question asked to a panel at a symposium on local Black history I was fortunate to attend at Northwestern University.The…
Lighthouse
This Easter morning, I dropped Michelle and her mom off at Mass, then headed to church. Like most Easters in my life, I didn’t really want to go. The days of knowing what I’d wear…
Girls in the Hood
This morning sitting in my office I started hearing yelling and screaming outside. I looked out the window and saw two young Black girls screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Normally,…
Giant
You often hear the phrases, “A giant among men” and “Standing on the shoulders of giants”, but what does that really mean? Yesterday, during the Celebration of Life for Chief Bill Logan, I learned more…
Shots Fired!
Recently on two consecutive days gun violence erupted in our neighborhood. Evanston, a place that is widely considered a safe suburban community. Evanston, a town now recognized nationally as one of the first cities to…
I Got Next!
Last weekend I had the chance to spend some time with some old friends as we came together to celebrate Ron’s 60th birthday. One of our neighborhood heroes, Jesse Floyd started talking about the “old…
Black Joy
- Posted on
- – 2 Comments on Black Joy
Yesterday, the joy of our people was on full display. The main ingredient, Blackness paired with love, family, and rhythm. Married under the warm October sun to create another spontaneous outburst of Black joy. Black…
The Saplings
The saplings of the strange fruit trees are now maturing in Evanston, these saplings have been nurtured in the secret gardens of north Evanston for longer than anyone cares to remember by those who believe…