Today In Black History
The Freedom Schools: Black Facts You Should Know!
Issue #431 Black History Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Welcome to this Today in Black History post. Black History IS American History, no matter how hard some people try to erase our history and contributions.
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Today’s Black WOW!
The Freedom Schools
In the 1960s, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, the Freedom Schools were born out of the need to address the persistent racial segregation and inequality in the American education system. African American students were consistently denied access to quality education, with inferior resources and facilities, as well as segregated schools that perpetuated discrimination and limited opportunities.
The schools were created as temporary, grassroots institutions that would operate during the summer months, filling the gap left by segregated schools.
The first Freedom Schools were established in Mississippi in 1964 as an integral part of the Freedom Summer project. This project was a coordinated effort by various civil rights organizations to increase voter registration among African Americans and raise awareness of racial injustice. The schools were meant to empower and educate young people, offering them a curriculum that centered on African American history, culture, and civil rights activism.
The curriculum in the Freedom Schools was designed to challenge the prevailing narrative of racial inferiority and instill a sense of pride and empowerment among African-American students. Students were taught about the achievements of Black leaders, the history of the civil rights movement, and the importance of grassroots organizing.
The Freedom Schools played a crucial role in empowering African-American youth, fostering a sense of racial pride, and inspiring a new generation of activists.
Today in Black History
- In 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery for the 2nd and final time.
- In 1865, the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery (except as a punishment for a crime where the person was duly convicted).
- In 1869, the Colored National Labor Convention, America’s first Black Labor organization, met in Washington, D.C., where James M. Harris was elected as its first president.
- In 1871, P.B.S. Pinch back was elected President pro tem of the Louisiana Senate and acting Lieutenant Governor.
- In 1961, Ernie Davis of Syracuse University was awarded the 27th Heisman Trophy, the 1st African American to win.
- In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson conferred the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 31 recipients, including President J.F. Kennedy, Pope John XXIII, Black contralto Marian Anderson, and Black diplomat Dr. Ralph Bunche.
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