Great Barrington — Clinton Church Restoration will host an online community read of “The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Du Bois. The 14-week series, which will take place via Zoom, will begin Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m., and be held weekly on Tuesday evenings (with breaks for Election Day and holidays) through Feb. 16, 2021, the week before the anniversary of Du Bois’ birth. Each week, Frances Jones-Sneed, Ph.D., Clinton Church Restoration board member and professor emeritus at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, will be joined by a guest scholar for a discussion of a single chapter of Du Bois’ classic text. Attendees of all ages are encouraged to participate.
“This is a book that everyone should read,” said Jones-Sneed. “Du Bois was an eloquent and approachable writer and his work helps us understand the history of racism in the United States, and how that history is relevant today.” The book’s 14 essays combine classic elegy, autobiographical sketches, sociological studies, short fiction, theology, political protest, musicology, historical profiles, biblical allusion, education, collective economics, women’s issues, race relations, literature classics and Greek mythology.
Guest scholars joining Dr. Jones-Sneed during the series are MaryNell Morgan-Brown, Ph.D.; Rashida Braggs, Ph.D.; Barbara Krauthamer, Ph.D.; Whitney Battle-Baptiste, Ph.D.; Kendra Field, Ph.D.; Barbara McCaskill, Ph.D.; Horace Ballard, Ph.D.; Gretchen Long, Ph.D.; Kiese Laymon; Dolan Hubbard, Ph.D.; Todd Allen, Ph.D.; Nadine Wedderburn, Ph.D.; Ruby Inez Vega, Ph.D.; David Levering Lewis; Ph.D.; and Martha Jones, Ph.D..
Clinton Church Restoration is creating an African American cultural center at the historic Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in downtown Great Barrington. The A.M.E. Zion Society, which funded and built the church at 9 Elm Court in 1887, was a formative influence in the life of the Du Bois. The National Register of Historic Places property was purchased in 2017 with widespread support from the community. It is currently under renovation and plans to create a visitor and cultural center that will return it to the center of community life are underway.
This online community read is sponsored by Housatonic Heritage, Berkshire Property Agents, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Berkshire Money Management, Berkshire Food Co-op, Lee Bank, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, and David and Julie McCarthy. Inspiration for the series came from a Monday morning discussion series called “Breakfast with Du Bois” held at the UMass Amherst W.E.B. Du Bois Center.
There is no charge but donations are welcome and registration is required. A full schedule and registration links are available. Those interested in receiving emailed announcements about the project are encouraged to join the mailing list by contacting admin@clintonchurchrestoration.org.
