'Hidden History' panel discusses origins of racial inequality in the U.S.

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. – A new panel discussion series, focusing on racial inequality throughout United States history, begins its conversation tomorrow night on Zoom.

The series, “Hidden History: Understanding the Origins of Racial Inequality,” will be emceed by ABC57’s own Brian Conybeare. Sponsored by the St. Joseph City Commission, Spectrum Health Lakeland, and Lake Michigan College, the series is comprised of three panel discussions focused on understanding racial inequality in the history of the United States.

The first panel, on April 13 at 7 p.m., will focus on racial inequality during the slavery to Civil War era from the 1600s to the 1860s. Topics will include the legacy of slavery and racism, the role different institutions of society played in enabling the slave trade, the business of slavery, and slave narratives.

The panels are all part of Community Grand Rounds, a discussion series that began in 2018 and features social science and medical experts talking about how people of color experience lower life expectancies and poorer health outcomes because of policies and practices embedded in our society and healthcare system.

Community Grand Rounds is an educational outreach effort designed to foster better understanding of the impact of structural racism on communities.

Register here to attend the discussion.

You can also find the panel on Spectrum Health Lakeland’s and Lake Michigan College’s Facebook pages and YouTube channels after the event.