Explore Civil Rights Through Literature at Enid Public Library’s “Let’s Talk About It” Book Club
The Enid Public Library is excited to host Oklahoma Humanities’ Let’s Talk About It book club, which explores the theme “Civil Rights and Equality: A Pulitzer Prize Centennial Series.”
The first session in the series will take place at 6 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2025, and will feature The Known World by Edward P. Jones. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel explores the themes of race, power, and morality in 19th-century Virginia.
Dr. Tracy Floreani, president of the Society for the Study of Multiethnic Literature of the U.S., will lead the session. Dr. Floreani will host a presentation that explores the historical context, themes, and characters of The Known World, followed by a group discussion where attendees will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and insights.
The novel tells the story of Henry Townsend, a former slave who becomes a successful plantation owner, only to face ethical questions about his ownership of slaves after his death. Jones’ narrative challenges assumptions about the antebellum South and looks to push readers to reflect on issues of race, power, and morality.
The series will also feature Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, Arc of Justice by Kevin Boyle, A Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich, and Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. Each story aims to humanize struggles, urging empathy, action, and progress toward fairness.
The Let’s Talk About It program, funded by Oklahoma Humanities and its partners, is designed to spark meaningful conversations about civil rights and equality. Each session fosters empathy and encourages participants to reflect on how literature can promote progress in society.
The program is free and open to everyone. Copies of The Known World are currently available for checkout at the library, and copies of the other books in the series will be available about a month before each discussion. For more information, visit enid.okpls.org or contact the library at 580-234-6313 or publiclibrary@enid.org.
About the Enid Public Library:
The Enid Public Library is a vibrant community hub dedicated to providing free access to materials and services in a variety of formats while reflecting community standards to meet the informational and recreational needs of the community. The Library promotes freedom of thought, literacy, a love for reading, and lifelong learning.
