The relationships between politics, African-American churches and traditional black music forms were highlighted in a GPC Reads fall event, “Power, Politics and Praise.” (Photo by Bill Roa)

The true story of the 1970s political awakening of a tiny, African-American community in southeast Georgia is this year’s selection for GPC Reads, Georgia Perimeter’s collegewide reading program.

Programs and discussions related to “Praying for Sheetrock” by Melissa Fay Greene are happening on all GPC campuses. Nearly 40 faculty members, in disciplines ranging from English to history to political science, are incorporating the book into their class curriculum. Campus book clubs discussing the non-fiction work include students, faculty, staff and community members.

This fall, GPC professors Dr. Valerie Dotson and Shyam Sriram hosted “Power, Politics and Praise,” a musical and narrative evening that emphasized the relationships between politics, African-American churches and traditional black music forms, all integral parts of the book.

An October talk on Clarkston Campus featured Dr. Richard Engstrom from Duke University’s Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in the Social Sciences. Engstrom discussed how blacks gained the vote in the rural South through lawsuits and legislative redistricting.

At Newton Campus, speakers Bill Fisher and John Siler discussed law and politics in McIntosh County, where the book is set, during the time period covered by “Praying for Sheetrock.”

While other colleges have adopted collegewide reading selections, GPC Reads enhances its program by bringing the authors of its chosen books to campus to interact directly with students. A visit by author Melissa Fay Greene is planned for spring semester.

Aimed at helping students broaden their reading experiences and look at literature more critically, GPC Reads is now part of EDGE—Engagement Drives GPC Education—the collegewide Quality Enhancement Plan.