Written by Shaw Israel Izikson

Great Barrington — It was a historic day for the town as hundreds of people honored W.E.B. Du Bois at the event to unveil his sculpture at Mason Public Library on Saturday, July 19.

Du Bois was born in Great Barrington on February 23, 1868, and was a historian, sociologist, and civil rights activist with global influence. He 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 Du Bois Sculpture Project group formed in May 2022 to fundraise for a sculpture, along with choosing and hiring a sculptor. The idea of the sculpture came from resident Freke Vuijst, who died in September 2020. As part of the project to install a sculpture, marble benches, stairs, and railings have been installed at the entrance of the Mason Public Library, along with the statue of Du Bois.

After a selection process, in August 2023, the group chose Pennsylvania-based sculptor Richard Blake to design the sculpture of Du Bois.

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