The W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy is taking shape within the former Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Barrington, the town where DuBois was born and raised. As a vibrant focus of Black thought and remembrance, this cultural center will become the first museum and living memorial in North America dedicated to DuBois’ life and legacy as a civil rights pioneer, writer, activist and internationally influential mind at work.
The Center will return the historic church to public life and celebrate the rich African American heritage of the Berkshires. It will serve as a visitor center, an interpretive venue, a hub for African American heritage sites throughout the region and a community meeting place offering contemporary programs and performances. ‘As it was for many decades,” the center says, ‘the building will continue to be a ‘refueling place’ that informs, empowers and delights …’
