Gilford library to host discussion of 'The Color of Water' as part of Black History Month

The Gilford Library will celebrate Black History Month (February) with a book discussion on “The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother” by James McBride. Written in 1996, this is the remarkable biography of a Jewish rabbi’s daughter raised in the south who lived in Harlem, married a black man, founded a church, and put 12 children through college. Questions of race and identity, tolerance and living the “American dream” are interwoven into the narrative of this timely memoir. Books are available at the library.

An evening book discussion will be held on Thursday, Feb. 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and a brown bag book discussion will be held on Thursday, Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

February is designated as Black History Month to recognize the contributions of African-Americans to American history. Although blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books. In 1926, Carter Woodson, a Harvard-educated historian, launched “Negro History Week” and chose the month of February because it is the birthday of two men who greatly influenced black history, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.