UPPER HOUSATONIC VALLEY NATIONAL HE

Housatonic heritage awarded a grant in the amount of 20,000 to the nonprofit center of the berkshires (fiscal sponsor for the du bois sculpture project). The project has been raising funds to create a life- size statue of native son w.e.b. Du bois to be located in front of the mason public library in great barrington, ma. The w.e.b. Du bois sculpture project was organized in march of 2022 to honor w.e.b. Du bois, a native son of great barrington, by commissioning a statue of the civil rights hero to be displayed in front of the mason public library. Fiscal sponsor for the project is the nonprofit center of the berkshires. A statue of du bois will celebrate not only his achievements in the fight for racial equality, but it will also acknowledge how great barringtonwith its long abolitionist history and powerful commitment to public education helped shape the man du bois became. We expect that a statue of this quality on the main street of town will heighten awareness of berkshire countys exceptional black history. A sculptor has been selected, a majority of funds necessary has been raised, and the group has partnered with the town to complete this project by spring of 2025. The group requested 20,000 to complete casting of the bronze.