All members of the campus community are encouraged to read “The Agitators” by Dorothy Wickenden and participate in events that include field trips, group projects, and a free public talk and book signing with the author for this year's Community Read.
“The Agitators” tells the story of America through the eyes of Harriet Tubman, Martha Coffin Wright, and Frances A. Seward. The three women fought for abolitionism and women’s rights, primarily in Auburn, New York, before, during, and after the Civil War. Director of the Library Tiffany Raymond said she chose “The Agitators” for the local connection, rich history, and messages of activism.
“Wells is rooted in an area that saw so much activism, and I think that our connection to that history is important,” Raymond said. “I read ‘The Agitators’ over the summer and found myself going off on research tangents based on things I read in the book. There’s still so much history of the area that I’m learning.”
For the Community Read, Wickenden will be on-campus for a public talk and book signing on April 17 at 6 p.m. in Phipps Auditorium in Macmillan Hall. Wickenden, a staff writer at The New Yorker, was the executive editor of the magazine for 26 years. She is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and has extensive experience as a journalist for The New Republic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other publications.
In addition to Wickenden’s visit, Long Library has organized two field trips for this month and next to the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls and the Seward House and Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, which each have direct ties to the book. The Library is also hosting a poster making session on-campus, where people will have the opportunity to make posters about any cause they feel passionate about. Raymond said she hopes to display the posters in the library hallway that week.
For more information, visit the Research Guide on this year’s Community Read from the library website. For updates on campus news and events, follow Wells College on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.
