Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson and her latest book, "Caste."

In partnership with the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and Uniting Bridges, the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library will continue its “One Book, One Community” reading initiative this year with the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. In this 2020 book, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson uses powerful personal narrative and research to explore past and present American society under the lens of a historically built hidden caste system.

“The library made a pledge to the community to be anti-racist in our policies, collections, spaces, and programming,” said Isa Small, programming and communications services manager in a media release. “We made a commitment that in our events and programming, we would not avoid hard questions. Instead, we will embrace the array of emotions one feels when confronting racism, including anger, guilt, and trauma.”

The first event in this year’s reading initiative will include a screening of the documentary Black Men in White Coats, available to view online, followed by a virtual panel discussion with members of the Mayo Clinic Health System Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. The documentary is available for viewing between April 2 and April 5. The panel discussion will take place at 6pm on April 7. Both events are free, but registration is required at www.ecpubliclibrary.info/onebook.