Chesterwood will begin its 2018 season Saturday, May 26, at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting and hike to celebrate the restoration of its historic Ledges Trail, designed by Daniel Chester French.
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.
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.
“Choosing the Path That Is Green” will be delivered by activist, community economist, author and member of the Ojibwe Nation of the Anishinaabe peoples Winona LaDuke.
All wanted to transform Clinton Church into a community gathering place that would preserve its history, honor civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois, and retain enough space for performances and other events.
