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Oct. 18 Lecture Addresses How the Suburbs Became So Segregated

Dr. Paige Glotzer

“Segregated suburbs reconfigured American politics, culture, and society,” says Paige Glotzer, Assistant Professor of the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The national expert will elaborate on her thoughts with her presentation “Segregated Suburbs and the History of the United States” 2:00 p.m. on October 18 in the Convocation Hall at º£½ÇÉçÇø in Romeoville. The event is free and open to the public. Visit  to register for the event.  

In this lecture, Dr. Paige Glotzer traces their history beginning in the late 19th century and explores how early financial connections to slavery and empires shaped the imperatives of developers to turn to segregation. These developers experimented with planning and forged relationships with officials who codified these decisions into enduring policies, such as redlining. The legacy of redlining—as well as the lasting popularity of suburbs—continues to impact lives not just in the United States but around the world.   

Glotzer, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, has spent much of her professional career studying the history of housing segregation in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2020, she published How the Suburbs Were Segregated: Developers and the Business of Exclusionary Housing, 1890-1960. The book “charts how the real estate industry shaped residential segregation, from the emergence of large-scale suburban development in the 1890s to the postwar housing boom.” Glotzer’s work has been featured in the Journal of Urban History, Public Seminar, The CityLab, and Time.  

The legacy of Jim and Mary Clare Sczepaniak lives on through scholarships, º£½ÇÉçÇø enhancements and now, the James P. ’60 and Mary C. Sczepaniak Lecture Series presented by the º£½ÇÉçÇø History Department. Visit  for more information about Jim Szczepaniak.  

The James P. ’60 and Mary C. Sczepaniak Lecture Series is being presented as a part of º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Arts & Ideas Program providing cultural and educational programming for students and the community. A portion of the Arts & Ideas events is sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Contact artsandideas@lewisu.edufor further information. 

º£½ÇÉçÇø is an innovative Catholic university offering market-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to 6,400 students. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, º£½ÇÉçÇø is nationally recognized for preparing intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, and globally-connected graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit for further information.