Author To Discuss 'The Gritty Berkshires' at North Adams Public Library

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Public Library, in collaboration with the North Adams Historical Society, will host author Maynard Seider for a discussion of his book, "The Gritty Berkshires: A People's History from the Hoosac Tunnel to MASS MoCA."

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. in the library's third-floor community room.

Seider's book focuses on the immigrants and their descendants who dug the Hoosac Tunnel, worked in the textile mills and the shoe factories of North Berkshire, and produced capacitors at Sprague Electric Company.

The presentation will trace this history from the early 19th century to the present, drawing connections between local events and broader changes in the American landscape. The discussion will also highlight the activism of residents, whether it be protesting conditions in an unsafe mill, organizing to form a union, or fighting the closure of a regional hospital.

Copies of "The Gritty Berkshires" will be available for purchase and signing. The North Adams Public Library is located at 74 Church Street.


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Mass MoCA Welcomes New Tenant, Hosts Route 2 Study Reveal

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Commission approved a new tenant Monday for the third floor of Building 1, above Bright Ideas Brewery.
 
Gianne Inc. uses recycled materials to create funcational art. 
 
"They are corporation that recycles textiles into functional handmade home art pieces such as quilts and rugs, promoting sustainability through creative design," said Jason Ahuja, senior manager of public initiatives.
 
According to Ahuja, the company is a mother and son duo who will be producing their work in the 400 square foot space.
 
Their lease will be two years long and started on Oct. 1. 
 
Director of Public Initiatives & Real Estate Morgan Everett updated the commission on an upcoming exhibition, "Race/Hustle" by Zora J Murff. The exhibit will be on view starting Dec. 6.
 
The exhibit features many different types of works "that examine physical, psychic, and political violence, the rhythms and resonances of oppression throughout history and into the present, and the harmful desires that our visual culture cultivates," according to the Mass MoCA website.
 
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