Tag: #DuBois #WEBDUBOISSCULPTUREPROJECT #RICARDBLAKE

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 celebration honoring one of America’s most influential thinkers and civil rights leaders. The sculpture, crafted by renowned artist Richard Blake, will be the centerpiece of a beautifully redesigned library plaza, complete with a curving marble bench, new seating, and a warm, inviting atmosphere.

“This moment represents years of dedication from so many people,” says 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.” More than just a statue, this tribute is a living space for justice, remembrance, and community stewardship — a place where stories and history come alive.

The celebration doesn’t end with the unveiling. A lineup of meaningful events will take place throughout the weekend, including special programs hosted by Chesterwood and the fourth annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable at Jacob’s Pillow. Born in Great Barrington in 1868, Du Bois blazed a trail as a co-founder of the NAACP and author of The Souls of Black Folk, a seminal work in American literature and thought. From local businesses to cultural institutions, an incredible coalition of community members and partners have come together to make this tribute a reality.

For up to date information and parking check the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/duboissculptureproject/

The W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, has selected artist Richard Blake to create a monument to W.E.B. Du Bois that will be placed in front of the town’s Mason Public Library.

Blake was one of three finalists who presented models of their proposed statues to the Sculpture Project jury. The models were displayed to the public at the Mason Library in Great Barrington and at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, MA.

“All three of our applicants were talented, highly regarded sculptors, each with a unique vision of Du Bois,” said jury leader and board member Lauren Clark, a gallerist. She was joined on that panel by painter/sculptor Reginald Madison and writer/activist Delano Burrowes. “Ours was a difficult decision, but after much discussion, we found Blake’s model the most responsive to our vision.”

“My public sculptures commemorate social activism and those who have contributed or fought for social justice,“ Blake explained. “I want to shed light on often overlooked or marginalized American heroes of color.”

Richard Blake earned a degree from the Tyler School of Fine Arts, Temple University. He recently completed a statue of Frederick Douglass for Abolition Park in New Bedford, MA.
Blake’s other works include a sculpture of Rosa Parks for the U.S. Architects of The Capitol. His other monuments include the Martin Luther King Monument for Fairleigh Dickinson University, the Milton & Catherine Hershey Monument, Hershey, PA., and the Martin Luther King Monument at the University of CA, Peace Garden. Blake was recently awarded, the coveted “Medal of Honor” for his contributions to American Sculpture (2023) by The National Sculpture Society.

“We were awed at the astounding talent of all three applicants,” said Julie Michaels, co-chair of the W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project, a non-profit created to raise funds for the statue. “We are also delighted that the proposed figure has received such universal support from the community.”

The organization is still raising funds for the sculpture and for the renovation of the Mason Library Plaza where the statue will be installed in the fall of 2024.

About the W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project
The W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project was launched in May 2022 by a volunteer group of local citizens with the goal of recognizing Du Bois’ scholarly achievements in the fight for racial equality. The Project celebrates Great Barrington, a town whose long abolitionist history and powerful commitment to public education helped shape the person Du Bois became. The Sculpture Project is endorsed and supported by the Great Barrington Library Trustees and W.E.B. Du Bois Town Legacy Committee, among many others.

About W.E.B. Du Bois
W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) was born and educated in Great Barrington. He was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. A world-famous sociologist, historian, and founder of the NAACP, he wrote The Souls of Black Folk, a seminal work in African American literature.