LOCAL NEWS
Parsons Public Library will have a book discussion on “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14.
Carmaletta Williams will lead the discussion.
Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, TIME and other publications, “The Vanishing Half” tells the story of the identical Vignes twins. Inseparable as children, the sisters ultimately choose to live in two different worlds: One Black and one white. One sister lives with her Black daughter in the same Southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past.
Williams is the chief executive officer of The Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City. A literary historian, Williams received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her doctorate from the University of Kansas. For 28 years she taught English and African American studies at Johnson County Community College, where she was also the founding executive director of the offi ce of diversity, equity and inclusion. Her published works include academic books and articles, poetry and children’s books.
She received an Emmy for her portrayal of Zora Neale Hurston on KCPT/ KCPL’s program “Meet the Past.”
The book discussion is part of a three-part series, “Turning Points: Stories of Women Choosing Their Own Paths” in partnership with Humanities Kansas. The last book, “The Midnight Library,” will be discussed at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.
Copies of “The Vanishing Half” are available for checkout at Parsons Public Library.
Humanities Kansas, a non-profit cultural organization, sponsors the discussions as part of its Talk About Literature in Kansas program. The group furnished the books and discussion leaders for the Parsons TALK series.
Parsons Public Library is located at 311 S. 17th. For more information, contact the library by calling 620-421-5920.
