SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Stop by and experience the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois. We’re open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday | 11 AM–3 PM.
Our Mission
The mission of the W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy is to educate the public about the life and legacy of civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois and the rich African American heritage of the Berkshires.
Located at the former Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Barrington, where he was born and raised, this vibrant center of Black thought and remembrance constitutes the first museum and living memorial in North America dedicated to Du Bois’ life and legacy.
Let’s Celebrate
Du Bois Birthday Weekend!
W.E.B. Du Bois – An American Hero
February 21, 2026 | 5:00 PM | Monument Mountain Regional High School
Join us for a powerful theatrical production celebrating the life and global legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois. Written and produced by Chad Lawson Cooper and starring Du Bois’s great grandson Jeffrey Du Bois Peck, this inspiring performance honors Du Bois’s enduring impact as a scholar, activist, and co-founder of the NAACP. Tickets available on Eventbrite.
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
February 22, 2026 | 11:00 AM |Triplex Cinema
Celebrate Du Bois’s birthday with a screening of this acclaimed visual art documentary, co-presented with the Berkshire International Film Festival. Adapted from Kahlil Joseph’s renowned installation, the film weaves fiction and history in a bold exploration of Black consciousness. A post-screening talkback will feature Saidiya Hartman.Tickets available through The Triplex Cinema.
Ongoing Exhibition: The Scottsboro Boys Traveling Exhibit | February 10 - Late April
The W.E.B. Du Bois Freedom Center is proud to partner with the Scottsboro Boys Museum to present its traveling exhibition at our 309 Main Street office in Great Barrington. The exhibit is on view from February 10 through late April. We invite visitors to engage with this important chapter of American history and reflect on its enduring relevance.
This powerful exhibition examines the landmark Scottsboro case and its profound impact on constitutional law and the Black Freedom Struggle. It also highlights the critical involvement of W.E.B. Du Bois and the NAACP in shaping legal strategies that continue to inform movements for justice today.
Virginia Conway, Community Volunteer & Du Bois Legacy Committee Representative
A Life of Faith, Family, and Freedom
An Interview of Virginia Conway by Beth Carlson, DFC Treasuer
“The Du Bois Freedom Center is something we can call our own — a place named for a Black man. Once it is open, when I walk in the door, I know I will feel a sense of welcome. Because he knew us. He understood the soul of Black people.”
— Virginia Conway
Born in Alabama and a longtime Berkshires resident, Virginia Conway has dedicated her life to faith, leadership, and service through Macedonia Baptist Church, Bridge Multicultural, and the Du Bois Freedom Center.
We thank her for her decades of commitment and community leadership that continue to inspire our mission. Read her story →
Explore W. E. B. Du Bois & African American Heritage in Great Barrington
Every summer, discover the legacy of W. E. B. Du Bois and the rich African American heritage of Great Barrington with our immersive “Walking Through History” tours.
Join our guided, in-person tours led by distinguished Du Bois scholars, educators (e.g. Marcus P. Smith, Dr. David Glassberg) and our Interim Executive Director, Dr. John D. Lloyd. These thoughtfully curated walks offer a personal and insightful journey through the neighborhoods, landmarks, and stories that shaped Du Bois’s early life and his enduring impact in Great Barrington.
Whether you’re a longtime scholar or a first-time visitor, each tour offers a powerful connection to our shared history—and a vision for the future.
“The W. E. B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy presents a singular opportunity to reclaim and extend in Du Bois’ hometown, the Black intellectual, artistic traditions, and social movements to which he dedicated his life’s work.”
—David Levering Lewis, Pulitzer Prize-winning Du Bois Biographer
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