In bronze, W.E.B. Du Bois comes ‘home’ to Great Barrington
A bronze sculpture of W.E.B. Du Bois now sits on a marble bench outside the library in Great Barrington. Strategically and symbolically, organizers who brought the post Civil War scholar back to his home town left plenty of room for others to sit by him, hoping the public will consider how Du Bois dedicated his […]
W.E.B. Du Bois sculpture unveiled in Great Barrington
The W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project, in collaboration with Embrace Boston, unveiled a life-size bronze sculpture of W.E.B. Du Bois in a moving ceremony held at the Mason Public Library in Great Barrington. The event, which attracted a large gathering, was the culmination of years of dedicated efforts by the project’s organizers and marked a significant milestone […]
W.E.B. Du Bois comes home to Great Barrington: Sculpture unveiled at Mason Library
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 […]
Great Barrington Celebrates Unveiling of Du Bois Sculpture
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The town celebrated the unveiling of the W.E.B Du Bois monument at Mason Library on Saturday with speakers, singers, dancers and ice cream. The bronze sculpture, created by artist Richard Blake, sits on a curving marble bench with hand outstretched and open, welcoming passers-by to stop. “Du Bois meets us not […]
‘We should be inspired by his courage.’ Great Barrington unveils statue of Civil Rights luminary W.E.B. Du Bois in front of the Mason Library
GREAT BARRINGTON — With an open hand outstretched to the world, a bronze visage of W.E.B. Du Bois now sits beside the steps of the Mason Public Library. The statue’s gesture is important to note in this memorial to “the intellectual father of the modern Civil Rights Movement” in his birthplace, said Imari Paris Jeffries, president […]
6 great things to do that you’ll enjoy in the Berkshires this weekend
W.E.B. Du Bois, born in Great Barrington, helped to shape the tradition of Black intellectual and artistic life in the United States. One of Du Bois’s aims was to bring together leading scholars, writers and artists, and to create lasting support for their work. The first day of this year’s forum takes place at Jacob’s […]
W.E.B Du Bois Statue Unveiling
A life-size sculpture of Great Barrington native son W.E.B Du Bois will be unveiled on Saturday as part of the annual Du Bois Forum. Speakers will include former Gov. Deval Patrick, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Levering Lewis, and Imari Paris Jeffries of Embrace Boston. Other public activities being held include a tour of historic sites […]
Celebrate the Legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois in His Hometown, Saturday, July 19
Mark your calendar for a powerful moment in history — on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM, a life-size bronze sculpture of W.E.B. Du Bois will be unveiled in front of the Mason Public Library on Main Street in Great Barrington, his hometown. This free, public event welcomes everyone to join in a weekend-long […]
Dedication of the W.E.B. Du Bois Monument in Great Barrington
Great Barrington— On Saturday, July 19th at 2 p.m., a life-size sculpture of W.E.B. Du Bois will be unveiled in front of the Mason Public Library, located at 231 Main Street, a fitting site at the heart of Du Bois’s hometown. W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) was born and educated in Great Barrington. He was the first African American to […]
Berkshires-based forum pays homage to civil rights leader and NAACP founder W.E.B. Du Bois
by MARIELLE ARGUEZA In 1916 and again in 1933, W.E.B. Du Bois and Joel Elias Spingarn gathered thinkers and leaders in Amenia, New York at the Troutbeck estate. Later called the Amenia Conferences, the gatherings were not a means to an end. The purpose wasn’t to produce books or treatises. Instead, these meetings of the mind […]