W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Festival Offers Memorial To His Granddaughter
A founder of the 20th-century Civil Rights movement and the father of the field of sociology, W.E.B Du Bois’s writing and social justice organizing brought the nation vivid, undeniable contextualization to the realities of national race inequality that still resonates deeply today. The American icon is also a native son of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. For the fifth year, Great Barrington is throwing The Du Bois Legacy Festival. Events take place from February 18 to 23.
This year's events are particularly historic, as they will begin with memorial services for Dr. Yolande “Du Bois” Williams Irvin, W.E.B. Du Bois’ only granddaughter. Dr. Williams Irvin lived with her grandfather and learned from him for many years before leading her own inspiring life. With her passing, the world has lost the last family member who knew Du Bois personally.
To honor Dr. Williams Irvin and what her passing means to the Du Bois family legacy, memorial services will be held February 19, organized by Gwendolyn VanSant, founder and CEO of Multicultural BRIDGE in Great Barrington, and her staff. A social justice and equity organization is coordinating a service and the legacy programming throughout the week with the Du Bois Center, town government, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Shakespeare and Company, and others. The memorial is set to draw dignitaries from across the country and will include speeches and reflections by Dr. Williams Irvin’s son Jeff Peck and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. There will also be a proclamation from Congressman Al Green, an Xavier University Student Tribute, and Martin Luther King III will offer a Family Tribute. The memorial will also be attended by leaders from the NAACP, of which Du Bois was integral in the development of, and many others.
Dr. Williams Irvin with grandson Jeffery Peck Jr. and son Jeffery Peck
It took a long time for the town of Great Barrington to embrace its connection to Du Bois, and there were painful moments of disagreement that caused community rifts, like the decades-long fight to name the Great Barrington Middle School after Du Bois. But, because of the growth the community has shown in embracing her Dr. Williams Irvin's grandfather, and the 2020 renaming of the school, she changed her internment wishes, choosing to come back to the family plot at the Mahaiwe Cemetery.
VanSant said this decision marks a “special reparations moment in our racial justice organizing.” The idea of reparations isn’t all about money; it’s about restoring equity and respect. “In my work," she said, "I’m talking about all the ways we can repair the damage of racism.”
VanSant noted that the hard work put in by town officials and the community to understand the true value of Du Bois teachings convinced Williams Irvin that she wanted to be laid to rest in Great Barrington.
“She told her son, ‘they get it now,’” VanSant said. “Dr. Williams Irvin passed away in November 2021, and we are humbled to be working with Jeff to honor her wishes and facilitate her homecoming.”
The town will also commemorate Dr. Williams Irvin's homecoming with Shakespeare and Company's performances of "Knock Me a Kiss," playwright Charles Smith's fictionalized account of Dr. Williams Irvin’s mother's marriage to Countee Cullen, one of the Harlem Renaissance’s revered poets, directed by Regge Life. Tickets are available on the Shakespeare and Co. website.
The Legacy Festival will start on Friday, February 18 when Mr. Peck will visit the Du Bois Middle School to speak with students who are currently learning about his great-grandfather’s life. That evening at 7 p.m., "Knock Me with a Kiss" will be performed at the Tina Packer Playhouse followed by a talkback with dignitaries and the play’s director. Dr. Williams Irvin’s memorial service and gravestone unveiling will take place on the 19th and at least three online events for the DuBois Legacy Festival are planned (Visit BRIDGE online for schedule updates) from the 20th to the 23rd, which is now W.E.B. Du Bois Day in Great Barrington. It also happens to be his birthday. All online events will be broadcast and saved for later viewing on the Mahaiwe’s website.
“Du Bois is influencing the way we think today,” VanSant said. “He charges us to grapple with our history and that’s what we are doing today. I like to think Du Bois would be proud of BRIDGE and the work we do because we focus on education.”
Celebrating its 15 year anniversary, BRIDGE is a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing equity and justice by promoting cultural competence, positive psychology, and mutual understanding and acceptance. VanSant, who attended Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington on a W.E.B Du Bois Scholarship, said the organization’s mission is to be a catalyst for change through collaboration, education, training, dialogue, fellowship, and advocacy.
She added that while it is notable that this celebration for Dr. Williams Irvin and W.E.B Du Bois is taking place during Black History Month, BRIDGE remains committed to reiterating that Black History is American history and should be amplified throughout the year.
For more information on the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Festival and event schedule updates, visit BRIDGE Online.
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