In the summer of 1957 the Ward family moved from Brooklyn, New York to escape gang violence and ended up on a dirt road in rural Lee, New Hampshire. It was an era when racial tensions were high and they were the first “colored family” in the area.

Author Michael C. Ward will talk about his family’s experience as the “Index of Integration” in the VIRTUAL presentation “The Colored Folks Ain’t Gonna Make It: A Black American Experience” hosted by the Dover Public Library on Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30pm. The free program will be held online through Ring Central and registration is required to access the login information. You do not need to be a library card holder to attend.

The presentation will include stories from Ward’s Sketches of Lee collection, which chronicles his family’s history combatting the racial stereotypes of the 50’s. Signed copies of the first two volumes in the collection, A Colored Man in Exeter and The Colored Folks Ain’t Gonna Make It, will be available for purchase at the library until August 24. Cash or checks will be accepted.

Ward began writing his family’s history in 2015 when his father Harold was in the hospital with weeks to live. He recalled him saying, “Michael, I want you to write the stories of our existence. I want my great-grandchildren to know where they came from.” Since then Ward has been fulfilling his father’s last request and recounting the stories of his family.

The Ward family was led by Harold and Virginia, a couple with strong convictions and compassion that they passed down to their children. As the first African-Americans in the area, the family encountered many people who had never spoken to or seen someone of color before and were relentless in disproving stereotypes of that era, eventually becoming respected members of the community.

For any technical issues the day of the presentation, or for more information, please email Aimee at a.lockhardt@dover.nh.gov or call the library at (603) 516-6050.