Two Reads You’ll Never Forget

(Terri Gulyas, DEI Committee Chair)

 For Black History Month, I immersed myself in two books that completely held my attention—both powerful, eye-opening, and deeply relevant to the work we do. I found myself thinking about them long after I’d closed the covers. Together, Elaine Weiss’s Spell Freedom and Jennifer Eberhardt’s Biased offer a compelling look at how education, bias, and civic structures shape who participates in our democracy and how. As you read the discussion questions, I invite you to consider how the themes raised in these books might spark meaningful conversation for Lively Issues programs or help shape planning for the 2026–2027 year. Here are my reviews:

 

Spell Freedom: the Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement

by Elaine Weiss

 

Why This Book Matters for the League of Women Voters

Spell Freedom reveals how grassroots citizenship schools in the Jim Crow South taught adults to read, understand government, and pass discriminatory voter tests—laying the groundwork for mass voter registration and, ultimately, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The book highlights the often-overlooked leadership of Black women and shows that civic education is the backbone of democracy.

 

Key Takeaways for LWV Members

·      Civic education is the gateway to voting: Literacy tests were intentionally used to block Black voters. Teaching people how to vote was as revolutionary as voting itself.

·      Grassroots work creates lasting change: Real democratic progress began in churches, kitchens, and community centers.

·      Women were the architects: Women, particularly Black women, designed and sustained the Citizenship Schools.

·      Voter suppression evolves: When literacy tests ended, other barriers followed.

·      Democracy must be continuously re-learned: Citizenship Schools built civic confidence and agency.

 

Wisconsin Connections

Wisconsin has its own history of voting barriers, including restrictive voter ID laws and frequent rule changes that disproportionately affect seniors, students, people with disabilities, and communities of color. LWV Wisconsin and local Leagues continue this work through nonpartisan voter education, outreach events, candidate forums, and election protection.

Facilitator Discussion Questions

1.        What are today’s “modern literacy tests” that limit participation?

2.        How can LWV further center community voices in voter education efforts?

3.        Where do we still see women’s civic labor undervalued today?

4.        How does the history in this book change how we view voter disengagement?

5.        What barriers do Wisconsin voters face today, and where can LWV have the greatest impact?

Biased: Uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do

by Jennifer L. Eberhardt

 

Why This Book Matters for the League of Women Voters

In Biased, social psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt explains how implicit bias—automatic, unconscious associations—shapes perception, judgment, and behavior, even among people committed to fairness and equality. Drawing on decades of research, the book shows how bias operates at both individual and institutional levels, with significant implications for democracy, civic participation, and justice.

 

Key Takeaways for LWV Members

·      Bias is widespread—and human: Implicit bias is a product of culture and exposure, not a personal moral failing.

·      Bias shapes perception: Bias influences what we notice and interpret before conscious reasoning begins.

·      Context activates bias: Stress, fear, time pressure, and ambiguity increase biased decision-making.

·      Bias is embedded in systems: Policies and institutional practices can amplify bias over time.

·      Awareness alone is not enough: Lasting change requires intentional design, accountability, and transparency.

·      Bias can be disrupted: Evidence-based strategies can reduce bias and improve outcomes.

 

Relevance to Civic Engagement and Voting

Bias affects who feels welcome to participate in civic life, whose voices are amplified, and how public issues are framed. Elections, policy debates, and civic decision-making are especially vulnerable to bias, making intentional counter-bias strategies essential to an inclusive democracy.

Facilitator Discussion Questions

1.        Where do we see implicit bias shaping public debate or voter perceptions today?

2.        How do stress, fear, or urgency influence civic decision-making?

3.        What systems—not just individuals—need redesign to reduce biased outcomes?

4.        How can civic organizations model bias-aware practices in their own work?