Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the inventor of dynamite, was a chemist, engineer, businessman and, most memorably, philanthropist; he was also a scholar, fluent in Russian, French, English and German. Above all, he loved poetry.
After major renovations and re-orientation as a classic steakhouse, Number Ten restaurant has opened at the site of the former Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington.
Attendees of the Sweet Berkshire fundraiser will be able to bid on desserts donated by Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, Haven Cafe and Bakery, Wheatleigh, Canyon Ranch, Patisserie Lenox, Barrington Brewery, Taft Farms and other area food producers.
The Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail.
The grant, part of $12.6 million awarded to 51 projects in 24 states, is aimed at preserving sites and highlighting stories related to the African-American struggle for equality in the 20th century.
Phase 1 work will focus on areas of the building that most urgently need attention and will include a new wood shingle roof, abatement of mold and mildew, improved drainage, replacement of the basement floor slab, raising the building to make the basement usable, and repair or modification to the parsonage.
More than 35 singers and dancers rehearsed a performance piece choreographed to the song “We are Here” by Alicia Keys, the oft-repeated refrain of which is a fitting tribute to the nature of Du Bois’ work: “We are here. We are all here for all of us. That’s why we are here.”
There are five sections on the poster: birth and childhood, familial ties, civil rights activism, a return to Great Barrington, and lasting impact. Photographs and captions accompany each section and there is a scannable QR code to learn more about Du Bois.
The production was the brainchild of local actor Levi Joseph who directed it and played James Baldwin, the distinguished black writer and social critic. Donations collected at the door for the one-time performance benefitted the restoration of the Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church, the same church W.E.B. Du Bois attended as a boy.
Joining CBS journalist and moderator David Schoenbrun on Aug. 28, 1963, were James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Sydney Poitier, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston and Joseph Manckiewicz, all of whom were in Washington for the civil rights march.
Comprised of two parts, the historic structure report will provide a detailed assessment of the physical condition of the building, recommendations for immediate actions needed to stabilize the building and a catalog of specific elements of architectural or historic value.
“We made it. We have reached the first step on the ladder. We have raised enough to purchase and secure the building.”
-- Wray Gunn, longtime member of the Clinton Church and chair of Clinton Church Restoration (CCR)
