Invisible Giants: Confronting Erasure & Honoring Black Women's History

As efforts to rewrite the past intensify, we turn to history—and amplify it. Join us as we resist erasure and celebrate the enduring impact of Black women’s contributions across generations.

At the heart of the event is the official premiere of Invisible Giants, a documentary by author and creative director Essence McDowell, that illuminates the untold stories of Black women in Chicago and underscores the importance of preserving and honoring these vital histories. 

This evening brings together influential voices from across movements, education, and the arts to confront the revisions in the national memory and amplify the contributions of Black women that have too often been diminished, ignored, or deliberately overlooked. Together, we reclaim space for the leadership, creativity and care that has shaped Chicago—and the nation.

We will also introduce a new standards-aligned curriculum Lifting As We Teach—a resource designed to empower educators to integrate Black women's histories and connect young people to past legacies and future possibilities.

Free & Open to the Public. Doors open at 5:30p for the reception.

Documentary film features: Zetta Elliot, Brenetta Howell Barrett, Mariame Kaba, Andrea Yarborough, Skyla Hearn, Essence McDowell

Special thanks to our cosponsors: Chicago Teacher Union, Truth, Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Greater Chicago, UIC Women's Leadership Center, The Blackivists, Chicago History Museum, Learning Dimensions