Announcing 2024 Book Discussion Series Selection & Celebrating Black-Owned Bookstores

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - PrZen -- The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation today announced the book selection of its 2024 monthly virtual book discussion series, Reading for Understanding.

"In January 2024, we will celebrate our fourth year and 44th book. Our truly nationwide team—from Vermont to Hawai'i—has planned an excellent year of monthly reading and celebration of black-owned bookstores.

The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation doesn't sell books. We're not the authors of the books we're discussing. We're a group of passionate readers and learners that take time each month to read, prepare a discussion presentation for use during and as a public resource after the event.

Borrow, buy. Read, listen. We don't care how you get here, just get here if you can. Read the book and make time for the discussion—those are the only requirements. These are free events to promote reading, ongoing learning and critical conversations.

Our hope is that individuals, bookstores, libraries, universities will join us for the discussions and/or reuse our resources for their own discussions.  We use the book as a shared experience and the discussion as an opportunity to engage with others from around the world." – Randee Wilding, Chief Operating Officer

The Center's Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion.

The 2024 Reading for Understanding book discussion schedule and celebrated black-owned bookstore is as follows:

January 24, 2024, 7-9pm EST (UTC-5)
Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era
by Michael Kimmel
Facilitated by Randee & Anita
Bookstore: Cafe con Libros, Brooklyn, New York, https://www.cafeconlibrosbk.com

February 28, 2024, 7-9pm EST (UTC-5)
At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance
by Danielle L. McGuire
Facilitated by Linda & Deborah
Bookstore: Uncle Bobbies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, https://www.unclebobbies.com

March 27, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
Black Leopard, Red Wolf
by Marlon James
Facilitated by Sabrina & Nicole
Bookstore: Reparations Club, Los Angeles, California, https://rep.club

April 24, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
Facilitated by Roxanne
Bookstore: Afriware Books, Co, Maywood, Illinois, https://www.afriwarebooks.com

May 22, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
South to America
by Imani Perry
Facilitated by Sabrina & Nicole
Bookstore: Blackstone Bookstore, Ypsilanti, Michigan, https://www.blackstonebookstore.com

June 26, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
I'm Not Yelling: A Black Woman's Guide to Navigating the Workplace (https://worldcat.org/en/title/1372430101)
by Elizabeth Leiba (https://lizleiba.com/)
Facilitated by Cherie & Stephanie
Bookstore: Black Pearl Books, Austin, Texas, https://blackpearlbookstore.com

July 24, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
A People's History of Sports in the United States: 250 Years of Politics, Protest, People, and Play (https://worldcat.org/en/title/701109930)
by David Zirin (https://www.davezirin.com/)
Facilitated by Sabrina & Nicole
Bookstore: Community Book Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, https://readcbc.com

August 28, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress (https://worldcat.org/en/title/1382540691)
by Wesley Lowery (https://www.wesleyjlowery.com/)
Facilitated by Randee & Anita
Bookstore: Mahogany Books, Washington, D.C., https://www.mahoganybooks.com

September 25, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
Getting Real About Race: Hoodies, Mascots, Model Minorities, and Other Conversations (https://worldcat.org/en/title/868038304)
by Stephanie M. McClure (Editor) (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/author/stephanie-m-mcclure), Cherise A. Harris (Editor) (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/author/cherise-a-harris)
Facilitated by Cherie & Stephanie
Bookstore: Da Book Joint, Chicago, Illinois, https://www.dabookjoint.com

October 23, 2024, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4)
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (https://worldcat.org/en/title/953738449)
by David Grann (https://www.davidgrann.com/)
Facilitated by Sabrina & Nicole
Bookstore: Loyalty Bookstore, Washington, D.C., https://www.loyaltybookstores.com/

November 27, 2024, 7-9pm EST (UTC-5)
Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad (https://worldcat.org/en/title/1289239822)

by Matthew F. Delmont (https://mattdelmont.com/)
Facilitated by Linda & Deborah
Bookstore: The Dock Bookshop, Fort Worth, Texas, https://www.thedockbookshop.com/

December 18, 2024, 7-9pm EST (UTC-5)
The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois (https://worldcat.org/en/title/1242984037)
by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (https://honoreejeffers.com/)
Facilitated by Sabrina & Nicole
Bookstore: Baldwin & Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, https://www.baldwinandcobooks.com/

Subscribe for registration announcements.

If you are interested in participating in our 2024 Reading for Understanding events, please subscribe to our email list at: https://www.dcbcenter.org/subscribe. You will be notified as soon as registration opens.

What should a participant expect?

All book discussions are two hours and use Zoom. The events begin promptly at 7pm EST/EDT. You will receive credentials via email and Eventbrite email the week of the event.

Support black-owned bookstores.

Where and how you choose to spend money has power.  Visit https://aalbc.com/bookstores/list.php to find a black-owned bookstore in your area or shop directly from https://aalbc.com.

"African American Literature Book Club, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by, or about, people of African descent. Started in 1997, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of information about Black authors." Source: AALBC.com

Participants are encouraged to continue learning through the Center's Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward (https://www.dcbcenter.org/eradicating-racism-learning-series) learning series, Let's Talk Series and joining our Finding Your Voice Program (https://www.dcbcenter.org/finding-your-voice-program).

About the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation

The Dock C. Bracy Center is committed to human reconciliation and the eradication of racism and other forms of human oppression. Our work focuses on healing the internal emotional and cognitive harms that have allowed racism to continue to thrive in our society. We support the efforts of many other groups and individuals by providing opportunities for learning and self-reflection so that strategies to eradicate racism (https://www.dcbcenter.org/eradicating-racism-learning-series) can become more successful. Additional information about the Center can be found by visiting the website (http://www.dcbcenter.org/) and by following @dcbcenter.