Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism Teenagers Helen Elaine Lee paints a

Helen Elaine Lee paints a humane and unflinching portrait of the devastating effects of incarceration and addiction

The oldest child of a single mother

a daily writing ritual of three pages of stream-of-conscious

A memoir of ideas and perceptions

caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions

Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism Teenagers Helen Elaine Lee paints aNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "A fascinating and eye opening look at how American schools have helped build and reinforce an infrastructure of racial inequality . . . a must read for every American parent and educator." Esquire "Though the argument of this book is bleak, it illuminates a path for a more just future that is nothing short of dazzling." Oprah Daily "This book will transform the way you see this country." Michelle Alexander, author of The New