In the 2022–23 One Book One Northwestern selection, How the Word is Passed, author Clint Smith examines how we understand who we are as a nation through what we choose to remember—focusing specifically on the legacy of slavery, a foundational aspect of our history, by traveling to different historic sites. Throughout his travels, Smith meets people with a range of relationships to the past, including some who actively resist acknowledging the horrors of slavery and others who are working hard to bring it to light. This selection of artworks from The Block’s collection—including photographs, prints, sculpture, and an installation—adds to the conversation by highlighting artists who use different strategies to reckon with the history of slavery, white supremacy, symbols of nationhood, and social inequity. We invite audiences to use these artworks as opportunities to connect to the themes of the text, whether they are used for private contemplation or as a springboard in discussion with others.
