When was the last time you picked up a good book for pleasure? And one that helped you understand a different culture, people or way of thought?
If it’s been a while, join the book club organized by the Center for Black Literature (CBL), part of Medgar Evers College at the City University of New York. The group meets every last Wednesday of the month via Zoom and holds discussions on books by diverse authors that bring up critical issues like culture and race.
Recent books the club has read include The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander and Up Home: One Girl's Journey by Ruth J. Simmons.
Dr. Brenda Greene, CBL's founder and executive director, started the book club in 2020, hoping that readers and writers would continue to be supported during the pandemic.
“The mission for the Center for Black Literature is to support writers, and one of the ways you do that is by buying their books, by reading their literature,” said Dr. Greene. “Artists really bear witness to what's going on in society. They issue calls to action. They raise issues. They remind us of the past and the importance of legacy."
The book club is open to everyone and garners about 12-15 participants a month from all over the country. Members are inter-generational and from different educational, racial and economic backgrounds, explained Greene.
Books are picked collectively by the group and chosen about three months in advance — which gives readers the space to read the books leisurely. Genres range from poetry, and memoirs, to fiction and other nonfiction pieces. Previous meetings have held discussions on texts authored by Brooklyn writers like James McBride and Kevin Powell.
The U.S. is currently going through another age of book bans, according to the nonprofit PEN America. Some communities have taken books written by Black, queer and female authors out of schools. In addition, some have argued that books that tackle racism, sexuality, gender and history should not be read by children.
For this reason, reading is that much more important, said Luvon Roberson, a book club member.
“That’s why the CBL book club is so important because it keeps us informed about the books written by Black and brown people but it also helps us remain diligent… that we have to keep championing our right to read and to have the freedom to read,” Roberson said.
The monthly book club attracts book lovers and non-book lovers alike. In fact, Grey Jones, who joined the club at its inception, said he wasn't a huge fan of reading.
However, he loves all the knowledge and perspective he has gained through text.
“The book club particularly does this great job of giving us access to varying perspectives and the diversity of Black thought,” explained Jones. “I think that’s something that's very important right now that we make sure that we have room and a space for protecting diverse perspectives for America.”
Dr. Greene prides herself on creating a safe space for members to share their opinions, which includes the opportunity where one must agree to disagree, she said.
Creating a culture of diverse perspectives helps add to the conversation and creates a nurturing environment for all to add their opinions, she said.
“I think that's also important that everyone feels included, and we want voices to be heard,” said Greene.
To find out more information or to join the Center for Black Literature’s monthly book club, you can email [email protected].
