Our Mission
The mission of the W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy is to educate the public about the life and legacy of civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois and the rich African American heritage of the Berkshires.
Located at the former Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Barrington, where he was born and raised, this vibrant center of Black thought and remembrance constitutes the first museum and living memorial in North America dedicated to Du Bois’ life and legacy.
Spring Appeal
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Preservation Month
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Spring Appeal ・ Preservation Month ・
Support the restoration of the Clinton A.M.E Zion church and the Center programmings.
Support the restoration of the Clinton A.M.E Zion church and the Center programmings.
Join us for a 60-90 minute walking tour through historic Great Barrington, honoring the life and legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois.
These immersive, place-based tours explore Du Bois’s early life and enduring global impact through key local sites, blending history, storytelling, and reflection. Using historic imagery, especially of the Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church, the tour connects past to present, ensuring these histories remain visible and relevant today. Tours follow a curated downtown route beginning and ending at our 309 Main Street office.
Dates (Bi-weekly Saturdays):
May 30 · June 13 · June 27 · July 11 · July 25 · August 8 · August 22 · September 5 · September 19
Tour stops: Start at 309 Main Street Office → Great Barrington Town Hall → Railroad Street → First Congregational Church → Rosseter Street → W.E.B. Du Bois Statue → River Walk → Return to 309 Main Street
Open to students, scholars and first-time visitors alike, each tour offers a meaningful connection to our shared history and future.
To inquire about an individual or group tour, please email: office@duboisfreedomcenter.org
A Life of Faith, Family, and Freedom - Virginia Conway
Community Volunteer & Du Bois Legacy Committee Representative
An Interview of Virginia Conway by Beth Carlson, DFC Treasuer
“The Du Bois Freedom Center is something we can call our own — a place named for a Black man. Once it is open, when I walk in the door, I know I will feel a sense of welcome. Because he knew us. He understood the soul of Black people.”
— Virginia Conway
Born in Alabama and a longtime Berkshires resident, Virginia Conway has dedicated her life to faith, leadership, and service through Macedonia Baptist Church, Bridge Multicultural, and the Du Bois Freedom Center. We thank her for her decades of commitment and community leadership that continue to inspire our mission.
Visit our history center At 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
11:00 AM - 15:00 PM
EVENTS
NEWS
TOURS
“The W. E. B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy presents a singular opportunity to reclaim and extend in Du Bois’ hometown, the Black intellectual, artistic traditions, and social movements to which he dedicated his life’s work.”
—David Levering Lewis, Pulitzer Prize-winning Du Bois Biographer