W.E.B. Du Bois Statue Unveiling Set Saturday
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| The statue of W.E.B. Du Bois will be unveiled at Mason Public Library on Saturday. |
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A life-size sculpture of civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois will be unveiled in his hometown this Saturday at 2 p.m.
The bronze sculpture, created by artist Richard Blake, will sit on a curving marble bench at the center of a redesigned plaza at Mason Public Library. The site features renovated steps, added seating, and a sense of welcome.
"This moment represents years of dedication from so many people," said Ari Zorn, co-chair of the W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project. "We are bringing Dr. Du Bois home in a way that invites everyone to sit with him, reflect with him, and carry forward his legacy. This sculpture isn't just a monument — it's a space for justice, remembrance, and stewardship."
The unveiling is part of the fourth annual Du Bois Forum, an annual retreat and year-round fellowship dedicated to the Black intellectual and artistic traditions inspired by the writer and historian, held July 18–20 across historic sites in the Berkshires.
Born in Great Barrington in 1868, Du Bois was a pioneering sociologist, civil rights leader, author, and co-founder of the NAACP. His 1903 work "The Souls of Black Folk" is a foundational text in American literature and thought. Du Bois graduated from the former Searles High School in 1884, and his early education was supported by members of the local Congregational Church, located next door to the Mason Library.
"As we launch into our nation's semiquencentennial, redefining how we memorialize our past and whose stories are told will be critical as we respond to the present and shape our future," said Imari Paris Jeffries, president and CEO of Embrace Boston, a partner in the sculpture project,. "We're honored to be a part of this project. We're also excited to have the Du Bois unveiling kick off a series of monument marker plaques commemorating a radically inclusive 250th anniversary of this country through our Everyone 250 coalition."
Everyone250 is a initiative to celebrate the nation's birth through "a lens of justice, anti-racism, and belonging" and to amplify voices often left out the narrative. Paris Jeffries is co-chair of the initiative.
The unveiling will include remarks from former Gov. Deval Patrick, forum co-founder and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Levering Lewis, and Paris Jeffries.
The weekend brings together about 50 scholars, artists, and community members for talks, tours and performances. It will honor Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, Gov. Patrick and Diane Patrick, and Paris Jeffries on Friday night for their outstanding contributions to African American history and heritage work at the local, regional, and national levels.
The dinner and a dance performance at Jacob's Pillow are ticketed, but a number of events are free, including the dedication. Contact duboisforum@tufts.edu for ticketing information and itinerary.
The fourth annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable & Celebration will be held at Jacob's Pillow in Becket on Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. (The following dance and dinner are ticketed events.)
Chesterwood is also hosting a free community event on "Creating W.E.B Du Bois" with sculptor Richard Blake, who will share his process in creating the monument, on Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. and a panel discussion on Du Bois on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m.
A "W.E.B. Du Bois and the Black Berkshires" tour begins at 12:30 on Saturday and will feature stops like the historic Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church (now the Du Bois Freedom Center), James Weldon Johnson's writing cabin and concludes at the library for the unveiling.
Community partners in the project also include Blackshires, Chesterwood, Housatonic Heritage, Great Barrington Library Trustees, W.E.B. Du Bois Town Legacy Committee, Great Barrington Select Board, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism's MA250.
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