Great Barrington — The unveiling of a statue of W.E.B. Du Bois at the Mason Public Library has been scheduled for Saturday, July 19 at 12 p.m., as confirmed by W.E.B. Du Bois Project Co-Chair Julie Michaels.
Du Bois, a revolutionary civil rights activist, historian, and sociologist, was born in Great Barrington on February 23, 1868. Among his many accomplishments, Du Bois was a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 and was also the editor of the NAACP’s journal, The Crisis.
The Sculpture Project group, which consists of local residents, formed back in May 2022. According to the group’s website, a statue of Du Bois was previously suggested by resident Freke Vuijst, who died in September 2020. The town’s Library Board of Trustees eventually approved the project, and the Sculpture Project group took on the responsibilities of fundraising for the statue, along with recruiting and choosing a sculptor.
After a process of selecting a sculptor, in August 2023, the group chose Pennsylvania-based sculptor Richard Blake to design the statue of Du Bois.
According to the organization’s press release, the nonprofit raised $450,000 for the sculpture.
Two Du Bois-related events will be held on the weekend of the unveiling, including an event on Friday, July 18, and Sunday, July 20, featuring Blake at Chesterwood.
