Grain & Chaff

Wellstone remembered at Press

The untimely death of U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) on Oct. 25 touched the staff of the University of Massachusetts Press, which published the former Carleton College political scientist's first two books.

"We issued 'How the Rural Poor Got Power: Narrative of a Grass-Roots Organizer' in 1978, and 'Powerline: The First Battle of America's Energy War,' co-authored with Barry Casper, in 1981," UMass Press director Bruce Wilcox told the Chronicle.

"How the Rural Poor Got Power" chronicles the origins, development, successes and failures, demise, and eventual reconstitution of the Organization for a Better Rice County (OBRC), a grassroots organization of rural poor people in southern Minnesota in the early 1970s. When Wellstone submitted his proposal to the UMass Press in April 1976, he wrote, "You may wonder why I have not approached the University of Minnesota Press. This manuscript deals with rural organizing ... the problem is that it is 'too close to home' and I would anticipate some possible political problems."

When the book was published by the UMass Press two years later, with a preface by Robert Coles, it received excellent reviews, noted Wilcox. In the New York Times Book Review, Doris Grumbach commented, "Rarely are books about social action written with simple stylistic grace and honesty."

In March 1980, Wellstone submitted the manuscript of what would become his second book, "Powerline," to the UMass Press. He wrote to Leone Stein, the director of the press, saying, "This book is important. It is not only a fascinating story about the fight of some Minnesota farmers against one powerline that developed into the state's most politically explosive energy controversy; it is also an object lesson for all Americans who believe coal is the answer to our nation's energy problems. The principal burdens of a coal-centered energy policy will fall on rural America. This account suggests the depth of the resistance to be expected from rural citizens, who are being told that they are the ones who will have to sacrifice." Published in 1981, "Powerline" garnered strong reviews and was named by Choice magazine to its list of "Outstanding Academic Books of the Year."

"Paul Wellstone went on to write other books for other publishers, recalled Wilcox, "but he continued to speak fondly about his experience with the UMass Press. In a speech at the 1994 annual meeting of the Association of American University Presses in Washington, he publicly acknowledged his appreciation for the [UMass] Press, and at lunch that day he told me how much he valued the work of the Press staff, particularly his first editor, Malcolm Call."

Author, author

Geosciences professor Lynn Margulis will discuss and sign copies of her new book, "Acquiring Genomes: A Theory of the Origins of Species" on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Jeffery Amherst Bookshop, 55 South Pleasant St. in Amherst. The book was co-written with Dorion Sagan and Ernest Mayr.

Challenge & Change

Commonwealth professor emeritus of Geosciences Randolph Bromery, now interim president of Roxbury Community College, is among four people being honored this week by the Men's Resource Center (MRC) of Western Massachusetts. Bromery was slated to receive a Challenge & Change award from the center on Nov. 7 in recognition of his leadership in higher education.

Bromery joined the Geology Department in 1967 - one of seven African-American faculty on campus - and co-founded the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students. In 1973, while serving as Amherst campus chancellor, Bromery helped secure the W.E.B. Du Bois collection for the library. During his career, he has served as executive vice president of the University, chancellor of the Board of Regents of Higher education, interim president of Westfield State College and president of Springfield College.

"In Dr. Bromery's life and work we see something of the history of race and racism in the 20th century, and of the courage and determination that dedicated men and women brought to confront discrimination," said MRC executive director Steven Botkin. "His story is an inspiration as we continue the struggle for equality and social justice.