Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series

     The Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series met on Saturday Feb. 23, there were twelve of us. In keeping up our Black History Month theme we began last year by reading various biographies or works written by Langston Hughes, this year we chose Ida B. Wells as our subject.  We were to read any book written by Ida B. Wells or about Ida B. Wells. I have to say that the participants truly stepped up to the task. At least a couple people read two different books. Judy read To Keep the Waters Troubled and On Lynchings        Ida B. Wells is known as a prolific crusader against lynching through her journalism and public speaking. She also started women's' social clubs, rallying women to become politically involved and she was a suffragist. She was usually found "too radical" by the Civil Rights Crusaders of her time, but she did become a great friend to Frederick Douglass.         Connie TR began our meeting by passing around a copy of  Without San

On Saturday Jan. 19th the Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series delved into Becoming by Michelle Obama. Eighteen people ended up in attendance, all in various stages of still reading, finished, or still listening to the audio-book. This is our all-time high for attendance!  Almost everyone at the table could relate to the topics Mrs. Obama wrote about such as having grandparents who were part of the Great Migration of Southern Blacks to the North, the abandonment of the inner cities, and of having parents and grandparents who ended up giving up on their dreams due to lack of educational opportunities and being shut out of trade unions.  Mary F. shared how her parents migrated to New Haven from Georgetown SC to look for a better life. They, like Michelle Obama's family witnessed their neighborhood's decline. Mary shared how she went away to college then came back to her old neighborhood to teach, really noticing the deterioration after being away.  Mart