The CDF Freedom Schools® program is rooted in the history and vision of the Civil Rights Movement, and Black leadership propels the program to this day. Every day at CDF Freedom Schools, young scholars learn about, reflect on, and apply the lessons of real-life Black heroes. In that spirit, we’re celebrating Black History Month by asking the staff of some of our exemplary CDF Freedom Schools sponsor organizations to tell us who inspires them and whose footsteps they seek to walk in as they serve our country’s children.
Inspiring figures in Black history: W.E.B. Du Bois, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X
The historical figures that inspire me the most are W.E.B. Du Bois, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X
What about this person’s story or legacy inspires you today?
All three of these men were dedicated to the cause of the African American community. Each, in their own way, became so committed to the freedom and liberty of African American people that they were willing to risk the lives of their families and sacrifice their own individual lives. Two of these men, Dr. King and Malcolm X, were killed because of beliefs of freedom and equality. Dr. Du Bois gave up his American citizenship and moved to Ghana. They could not be “bought out by the nation’s power structure.”
How do you seek to live your life or serve the young people of your community in that person’s honor?
These three men are examples of what kinds of dedication and efforts it will take for African American people to live and survive in this nation. They were unanimous in their views that it takes a dedicated people united in love, hope, and determination to overcome the challenges of this nation and this world.
The views expressed above are those of the individual interviewed.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Photo credit:
Biography.com