Ethelrida's History Report: Assimilation is a Brutal Bargain
from Fargo
Written by Noah Hawley

Ethelrida delivers a poignant and intellectual history report that parallels the criminal underworld of Kansas City with the broader struggle of Black assimilation in America. She reflects on the cyclical nature of power, the cost of peace between rival factions, and the inherent prejudice faced by an 'upstanding' person of color in a segregated society.
ETHELRIDA: My point being, the moment our feet touched American soil we were already criminals. But this report isn’t about my history. It’s about our history. Kansas City, Missouri. In the beginning there were the Hebrews, and they ran the underworld. To keep the peace, the boss of each family gave
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