Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and a Story of Reconciliation (Pegasus, 2020)

Please join us on Thursday, July 16, at 5 p.m., for a 2020 Virtual History Book Festival “Spirited Discussion” with J. Chester Johnson, author of Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and a Story of Reconciliation (Pegasus, 2020). This event is free however registration is required.

About the book
The Elaine Race Massacre took place in and around the town of Elaine, Arkansas, in 1919 when white residents felt threatened by black sharecroppers’ attempts to unionize. Author J. Chester Johnson was an adult before he learned that his beloved grandfather had participated in an event that led to the deaths of at least 100 African Americans (exact numbers are unknown). In 2014, Johnson met Sheila L. Walker, a descendant of several massacre victims, and the two joined to pursue a path toward racial reconciliation. Walker wrote the Foreward to the book.

About the author
J. Chester Johnson is a poet, essayist, and translator who has written extensively on race and civil rights. He was co-chair of the Elaine Massacre Memorial Committee.

Sheila L. Walker will be in conversation with Johnson. She became involved in the civil rights movement at an early age and has served in federal law enforcement, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the healthcare field.

How to attend the online event
The event will be shared using Zoom—an easy, reliable platform for video and audio conferencing. Here are basic written instructions for using Zoom and a brief video tutorial.

All registered attendees will receive a follow-up email from “LibCal” with Zoom log-in information. If you don’t receive this email after registering, please check your SPAM folder. If you still can’t locate the email, please contact info@historybookfestival.org.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665.

About the Festival
2020 Virtual History Book Festival: Bring History Home is sponsored by Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group.

The HBF “Spirited Discussion” is one of the types of programming offered this year at 2020 Virtual History Book Festival: Bring History Home. We are extremely grateful for the virtual venue and assistance in event promotion provided by the Lewes Public Library, in conjunction with the Delaware Division of Libraries and Sussex County Libraries.