ABHM Book Club: A Time of Terror

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In honor of our late founder’s birthday in February, we will once again be reading and discussing Dr. James Cameron’s memoir, A Time of Terror. We will discuss this important book that is at the heart of ABHM on Thursday, February 27th at 6 PM via Zoom.

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ABHM Book Club – How The Word Is Passed

Book Club graphic for How the Word is Passed

We will read How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith, a special selection in collaboration with the upcoming Building Legacies exhibit at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith explores the legacy of slavery through a tour of key historical sites, from Monticello to Angola Prison. Smith reveals how monuments and landmarks—some truthful, some deceptive—reflect the nation’s complicated history. With deep research and personal storytelling, Smith shows how slavery’s impact still shapes America today, offering a powerful reflection on the role of memory and history in understanding the nation’s past and its future.

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ABHM Book Club presents: Enslaved, Indentured, Free by Mary Elise Antoine

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We will be reading Enslaved, Indentured, Free: Five Black Women on the Upper Mississippi, 1800-1850 by Mary Elise Antoine, and discussing it virtually. This book narrates the stories of four Black women—Mariah, Patsey, Courtney, and Rachel—who were born into slavery and achieved freedom in Prairie du Chien. Each woman’s journey intertwined over five years, influenced by Marianne Labuche, a free Black woman. Mariah bought her freedom, while Patsey persisted after her enslavers died. Courtney and Rachel successfully filed freedom suits, shedding light on Wisconsin’s overlooked history of slavery.

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ABHM Book Club Presents: Risking Everything by Micheal Edmonds

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Join us on October 24th at 6 PM via Zoom for a virtual discussion of Risking Everything: A Freedom Summer Reader by Michael Edmonds. This anthology, featuring 44 original documents from the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer Project, offers a gripping look at the courage and struggle of activists and black Mississippians fighting against racial oppression. Discover firsthand accounts of their bravery and the harsh realities they faced, many of which are published here for the first time.

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ABHM Book Club Presents: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

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Explore Isabel Wilkerson’s eye-opening examination, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” revealing how deeply entrenched caste systems shape societies globally. With profound insights and compelling narratives, Wilkerson challenges readers to confront systemic inequities and envision a future rooted in justice and equality.

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ABHM Book Club Presents: A Lynching in the Heartland by James H. Madison

A Lynching In the Heartland book

Explore with ABHM James H. Madison’s ‘A Lynching in the Heartland,’ a profound narrative unraveling the 1930 Marion, Indiana, lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith. Through meticulous research, Madison examines the lasting impact of racial violence, challenging readers to confront America’s complex history of injustice and resilience.

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ABHM Book Club: On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed

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We will be reading On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed and discussing it virtually on June 20th at 6 PM via Zoom. Annette Gordon-Reed’s ‘On Juneteenth’ brilliantly reimagines American history, intertwining personal narratives and historical facts to reveal the profound impact of Black Americans on the Lone Star State, culminating in the pivotal moment of June 19, 1865, and reminding us of the ongoing struggle for equality.

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