Tomorrow: Pulitzer finalist Dray at the Athenaeum

Friend of the blog Christina Bevilacqua, an occasional Phoenix contributor, has done great things with the Salon series at the venerable Providence Athenaeum, and the series is being opened to non-Ath members on occasion.

Tomorrow's program is particularly relevant given Obama's presidency:

Friday, February 13, 5-7pm: The Providence Athenaeum, 251 Benefit Street (corner of College Street) in Providence, presents a Salon with Pulitzer Prize finalist Philip Dray on his new book, Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen, hailed by the New York Times as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2008. Neglected by most historians, the nation’s first black members of congress fought determinedly in pushing for much-needed reforms in the wake of a traumatic civil war but were overwhelmed by the brutal forces of white reaction. Covering the fraught period between the Emancipation Proclamation and Jim Crow, Dray's timely book reclaims the reputations of men who led a valiant struggle for civil rights and social justice. Books will be available for sale and signing thanks to Borders!

For more information: call 401-421-6970 or check www.providenceathenaeum.org.

This event is free and open to the public! Sponsored by Jodi L. Glass, Doctor of Audiology.