Black Geniuses Playing Cards

The Black Geniuses Playing Cards are a custom designed deck of cards that feature 52 illustrated Black inventors that have paved the way for Black people as well as making their mark on the world.

This deck offers a fun way for people to play the card games we know and love, as well as learning about a piece of Black history that is community untold.

The Silver Lining collection was created by a team of design students from the University of Illinois at Chicago, under the direction of Norman Teague. As a class, we were given the unique opportunity to create a line of products for The Silver Room. The store strives to create an inclusive space that emphasizes cultural diversity, music, art, and celebration.

We spent the semester in a virtual studio sharing conversations, as well as examining and evaluating each other’s work and helping one another to achieve the final outcome. Our final collection consists of a magazine, jewelry holders, bookends, rings, custom playing cards, reupholstered chairs, postcards, and catch–all trays.