Last week, founder of the Charleston Activist Network , Mika Gadsden, announced an online initiative called “The Historically Accurate, Anti-Racist Book Club for Charleston .”
This Black-led book club – open to everyone – will focus on the Black experience, featuring works about Gullah, Black and Indigenous history + culture.
The first book up for discussion is Ethan J. Kytle and Blain Roberts’ “Denmark Vesey’s Garden: Slavery and Memory in the Cradle of the Confederacy ” – a work centralizing on how slavery is remembered in Charleston.
Along with educating + activating the community on the Black experience, Gadsden is using this new initiative to help support local bookstores and libraries. She encourages participants to grab a copy locally, and has created a list of a few resources to utilize.
In anticipation of a multi-racial group of participants, a community agreement will be enforced to prevent harmful comments among members. The use of kind, respectful conversations + language is non-negotiable.
The first online discussion will be held Tues., August 18. Additional information will be sent via email, as well as announced on Instagram .
Sign up here .
Why stop at just one book? Check out this list of book recommendations from our local bookstores
that aim to educate + activate.