Whitaker to head church project
Historic site to become African American heritage center
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A former White House senior adviser and New York University professor will lead the transformation of a historic Massachusetts church into an African American heritage center, according to the W. E. B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy.
The center and its board said it selected Ny Whitaker as its executive director after a seven-month national search funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The church building will be dedicated to celebrating Du Bois, a civil rights activist and sociologist, in his birthplace.
Whitaker has extensive experience in development, marketing, the creation of strategic partnerships, and building coalitions with elected officials and community organizations. In a statement, she said she is honored to join the Du Bois Freedom Center “and eager to work in partnership with its board, staff, volunteers, and the community, as we develop a space that elevates Black thought leadership and artistic expression, provides remembrance and recognition of the impact of African Americans on social movements, and highlights the immense contributions of Du Bois to our collective past, present, and future.”
“With our new leadership, we are in a strong position as we enter the next phase of this project. We are closing in on our goals: to honor the legacy of Du Bois, the former Clinton Church, and the rich role of African American communities in this region and beyond,” according to board chair Chris Himes, noting several other appointments to the center.
For 2024, the Du Bois Freedom Center will host “Reflections on Democracy” — a series of educational programs and public events that analyze the writings of Du Bois on this topic — in addition to the Du Bois Forum’s annual event. A calendar of 2024 programming will be announced in February.