Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism

Ewing concludes that it is not enough to identify the problems that Black and Indigenous students face today. However, she admits that she does not have a conclusive solution. Just like the Indigenous students in Louise Erdrich’s poem “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways,” Ewing suggests readers head toward an answer “even when we’re not sure how to get there” (250).

Ewing again affirms her decision to look at Black and Indigenous histories side by side to fully engage with the foundations of capitalism that have shaped our country. Scholars who only study one group ignore the “hierarchical ladder” founded on genocide and slavery that has placed both groups at the bottom.

Ewing reminds the reader that Black and Indigenous histories are deeply intertwined in positive ways. Indigenous and escaping enslaved people formed “Creole” societies. The city of Chicago was founded by a Potawatomi woman and a Black man. The Black Panther Party and the American Indian Movement protested together and celebrated their successes together. However, these two groups have also harmed each other as white supremacy pits Othered groups against each other to exploit their struggles for its gain. Black soldiers fought in colonial wars to displace Indigenous people, while five Indigenous tribes enslaved Black people to garner the approval of the US government.