Photos of the Week: So What Did You Do on the Fourth of July?
The annual July 4, 2025 children's parade on the South Amherst Common (Fiddler's Green). Photo; Barbara Pearson.
Checking with a couple of friends about their July 4th experiences over the weekend, I learned that one went to a wonderful jazz concert in Charlemont as part of the Mohawk Trail Concert Series. This was followed on July 5 with the Sing for Democracy at First Churches Sanctuary in Northampton. You could call it vocal resistance and the program was led by Geoff Hudson and Bill Newman. Short bits of the Constitution were read, followed by songs. Vivid phrases from the songs included “We make the road by walking it.” (Paulo Freire) and “I protest, not because I believe I will change the country, but to make sure the country won’t change me.” Upcoming Sings are being held Sunday, July 20, 3:00-4:00 p.m, at South Church in Amherst, 1066 South East Street and Tuesday July 29, 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, 220 Main Street, Northampton.
I attended a potluck picnic and informal gathering at Groff Park of the group Apartheid Free Western Massachusetts which focuses on justice for Palestine and is encouraging local communities to declare themselves “apartheid free” and take the apartheid free pledge to support racial justice locally and to oppose apartheid in Israel. The event was organized by Rich Karstens and Heather Hutchinson of Leverett
The next day I attended the annual community reading of Frederick Douglass’ speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July”, at Second Church in Amherst, where a mighty crowd (indoors this year after the blazing heat of the Common in 2024) gathered to listen to each other – and to the Amherst Area Gospel Choir. There were rousing speeches by UMass Professor Amilcar Shabazz and the young scholar Aaliyah Hall, a rising sophomore at Amherst Regional High School. A reception with delicious fare from Carefree Cakery and the bakers of the South Church community was followed by small group discussions. The program was organized by Amherst South Congregational Church and the Town of Amherst’s Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with the generous support of Mass Humanities and the Mass Cultural Council.
Our feature, Photo of the Week, presents each week, a new picture by a local photographer. We invite local photographers to share their photographs here. Please include a description/caption and an indication of who is to be credited.
