Local activist, podcast host and founder of the Charleston Activist Network Mika Gadsden announced the launch of a new “anti-racist and historically accurate” book club this week. The book club holds its first online discussion on Aug. 18.
The first book on the docket is Denmark Vesey’s Garden by Ethan J. Kytle & Blain Roberts. The New York Times described the book as a “fascinating and important new historical study that examines … the place where the ways slavery is remembered mattered most.”
The book traces the roots of present-day racial inequities and injustices to Charleston and considers the legacy of a black revolutionary, Denmark Vesey, who plotted a slave insurrection in 1822.
In an email announcement about the launch of the book club, Gadsden said, “I wanted to create an online community where we book lovers could connect and discuss what we’re reading. However, I felt the need to, also, meet the current sociopolitical moment by being intentional with the construction of this space.”
Participants will be asked to join in a community agreement prior to any book selection discussion. The agreement will aim to mitigate harm directed at any black indigenous people of color in the multi-racial online community.
Gadsden wants the book club to move beyond just a thoughtful discussion; each book and accompanying discussion will also include a specific call to action. Additional info about those calls to action will be provided at a later date.
You can sign up for the book club online and stay up-to-date with Charleston Activist Network’s social media for additional info. As a reminder, the club asks you to buy your copy of this book from a local bookstore or check it out from your local library.[event-1]
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