On the Rails: African American Experiences in Railroad History

FREE, No reservations required

Row seating, first-come, first-served

Co-presented with OLLI at Berkshire Community College and DuBois Freedom Center 

Join this pre-show talk and Q&A before Silkroad Ensemble’s American Railroad concert in the historic theater. Amplifying the performance’s themes of workers’ contributions to the transcontinental railroad’s construction and the railroad as a conveyance and co-mingling of their cultures, Dr. Camesha Scruggs will speak on the experiences of African American railroad workers. From railroad construction through employment as porters, the railroad offered a door towards upward mobility and a path of migration of the Black community but did not come without human costs. 

Dr. Camesha Scruggs is an Assistant Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University. Her research fields include US and African American History. As a trained public historian, she endeavors to protect and preserve history while making it palatable for various audiences. 

Co-presented with

Silkroad Ensemble’s performance of American Railroad at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is made possible through a grant from NEFA.