The Ira Reid Foundation is committed to "celebrating a pioneering African American scholar, advocate and mentor [to] Haverford College and beyond."
With strong support from many generous alums and committed core leadership, the Ira Reid Foundation raised just under $50,000 in our first fiscal year. We project a debut of the documentary film about Ira De Augustine Reid at Haverford in autumn, 2022.
Interviews in the Spring of 2022 included current Prof. William Williams, former Ira Reid Visiting Professor Cornel West as well as such former students/advisees as Charles Lawrence III ‘65, Hal Weaver’56 and Steven O. Bailey ’69. Special Research Volunteers included Robert Young’53, Lawrence Davis’66, Luther Spoehr’69 and Steve Washburn’69.
Producer/Director Rel Dowdell also reviewed Dr. Reid’s papers at New York City’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Dowdell is now coordinating cutting, voice-overs, and dubbing of music in preparation for our film’s first edition and production.
One significant research discovery is that in 1939 Ira Reid’s published The Negro Immigrant (Columbia University Press) headlining it with this epigraph by Spinoza: “… not to laugh at the actions of men, not yet to deplore or detest them, but simply to understand them.” At his best Reid’s scholarship, teaching, advocacy and mentoring embodied this epigraph. We believe that his example can offer healing and health for times such as ours.
Those wishing to further funding of the film on its home stretch are encouraged to postal mail cheques payable to “Ira Reid Foundation” to 57 Mill Pond Lane, Marshfield, MA 02050. Let’s let Ira Reid’s light shine with humane justice and truth for these decisive days!
The Rev. Stephen C. Washburn’69, Moderator
Professor William Williams, Treasurer
Mr. Steven O. Bailey’69, Clerk
Professor Emeritus Roger Lane, Director
Mr. James Pabarue ‘72, Esq., Director
Questions? Email Stephen Washburn '69 at scwashburn [at] verizon.net.
