The Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum will launch a new book club program to honor Evelyn Pope, a college librarian who lived from 1908 to 1995 and was known for her love of literature ranging from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” to works by Shakespeare and James Baldwin. The program, called Evelyn’s Book Club, aims to bring community members together each month at the museum for discussions centered on books by Black writers or featuring Black subjects. Both fiction and non-fiction titles will be included.
Discussions are designed to use questions that encourage conversation among participants.
The reading list includes:
– “Mama Day” by Gloria Naylor (Wednesday, Feb. 25)
– “The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis” by Maria Smilios (Wednesday, April 22)
– “A Visitation of Spirits” by Randall Kenan (Wednesday, June 24)
– “Becoming Lunsford Lane: The Lives of an American Aeneas” by Craig Friend (Wednesday, Aug. 26)
– “Ring Shout” by P. Dejeli Clark (Thursday, Oct. 29)
Registration opens January 23. An optional book bundle can be purchased during registration, with books available for pickup at the Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum.
Sessions will take place at the museum starting February 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., are open to adults aged 18 and older, and are free of charge. Registration is available through RecLink beginning January 23.
Raleigh serves as the location for this event and is managed as a municipal government entity providing governance and community services across North Carolina’s capital region (official website). The city is led by an elected council supported by a city manager overseeing operations (official website). Raleigh’s government focuses on delivering public services such as policy-making and budget management (official website).
