Beyond the Dream: Falmouth Talks Race

This summer, the Trustees of the Falmouth Public Library will host a series of talks on the topic of race relations and racial justice. Entitled “Beyond the Dream: Falmouth Talks Race,” the series will include lectures as well as open discussion facilitated by experts in the field. Each talk will be held in the Hermann Meeting Room of the Falmouth Public Library.

The first in the series, “African-Americans and the Economy: Historical Influences and Present Realities,” will take place on Friday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m. The presenter will be Jill Gordon, the Charles A. Dana Professor of Philosophy at Colby College. Ms. Gordon will begin with an exploration of slavery as a system of production that fueled early wealth and the industrial revolution, touching on banking practices, social mobility, violence, and the Civil Rights era and continuing to the present day issues of environmental racism, drug policy, and mass incarceration, all seen through the lens of the economy.

“The issue of race in American life is so sensitive and fraught with a painful history, “explains Falmouth Library Board Chair, Lysbeth Abrams. “The issues of race and racial justice are a big part of the zeigeist, with growing membership and interest in social justice groups, and we thought it would be helpful to offer a forum to discuss the issues — and to do so non-judgmentally.”

The second in the series will be held on Friday, August 12. More information to come.