Salem Literary Festival Launches One Book, One Salem

Salem Literary Festival Launches One Book, One Salem on Juneteenth

The Salem Literary Festival is excited to announce the launch of One Book, One Salem 2024, which will begin on Juneteenth and culminate in a live, in-person event at the Salem Literary Festival on September 8. This year, we invite everyone to participate in a community read of Master Slave Husband Wife by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ilyon Woo.

Event Details

On Sunday, September 8, at 3 PM, Ms. Woo will join us in person to discuss the themes of her latest book at Salem Academy Charter School. This event promises to be a profound exploration of her work’s historical and cultural narratives.

How to Participate

Salem Lit Fest is distributing free copies of the book at various locations throughout the city, including:

• Salem Public Library
• Salem Athenaeum
• Little Free Libraries
• Ice Scream Bowl at Salem Common on August 9
• Salem Farmers Market at Old Town Hall on August 22

An updated list of locations can be found here.

Each free copy of Master Slave Husband Wife will have a “One Book, One Salem” sticker on the cover. We encourage readers to enjoy the book and either return it to the same location or share it with friends or family, fostering a community-wide literary dialogue.

About the Book

Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo, which won the Pulitzer Prize in Biography this year, narrates the incredible true story of William and Ellen Craft, an enslaved couple who escaped from Georgia in 1848. Ellen, light-skinned, disguised herself as a disabled white gentleman, and William posed as her manservant. Their journey to the North, where they became prominent abolitionists, challenges assumptions about race, class, and disability.

Engage and Share

We invite everyone to read the book, share their thoughts, attend the event with Ms. Woo, and engage on social media using the hashtag #1book1salem2024. Your participation keeps the conversation flowing and helps build a stronger, more connected community.

Acknowledgments

One Book, One Salem is made possible by a grant from the Salem Cultural Council, which makes Salem Lit Fest possible.

About the Salem Literary Festival

The Salem Literary Festival aims to inspire and promote literacy and a love of books and reading by featuring contemporary authors and engaging with classic works of literature. The festival is presented and coordinated by the Salem Athenaeum in partnership with Salem Public Library and other local organizations. It is made possible by a committee of dedicated book-loving volunteers.

About the Salem Athenaeum

Incorporated in 1810, the Salem Athenaeum is an independent membership library and cultural center hosting lectures, concerts, plays, discussion groups, author and poetry readings, storytelling, and workshops. It boasts a contemporary circulating collection of fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature, as well as historical research collections in various fields. Since 2017, the Salem Athenaeum has been the presenter of the Salem Literary Festival.

Mission: To preserve and excite the literary and cultural passions of the North Shore.

About Salem Public Library

Located at 370 Essex Street in the McIntire Historic District of Salem, the Salem Public Library occupies an 1855 renovated brick mansion originally owned by sea merchant John Bertram. The library is part of the North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE), a consortium of 25 public and academic libraries in the area, dedicated to serving the community’s literary needs.

Join us in celebrating literature’s power to unite communities through One Book, One Salem 2024!