Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past, in conjunction with the Zinn Education Project, will host a week-long Freedom School in honor of the 60th anniversary of Mississippi Freedom Summer. The event will take place at St. John's Episcopal Church at 323 Wick Ave in Youngstown from 9 am-1 pm on June 17-21.

The Youngstown Freedom School is free and open to students from 5th to 9th grade. According to the press release, the focus of the Freedom School will revolve around helping students to learn about "true history," focusing on local Black history, critical thinking and writing skills, and finding their voices through various mediums including poetry, art, and dance. Attendees will learn about the history of Mississippi Freedom Summer and how it connects with the country today. Students will learn the Principles of Nonviolence and begin to incorporate them into their daily lives. 

Throughout the week, local community members will be participating in the Freedom School including Alice Lynd, AU Dance Company, Karen Schubert of LIT Youngstown, local children's author/illustrator Dynamo Flapdoodle, author Cherie Eldridge, author and activist Keith Lamar, local historian Vince Shivers, and some local educators. They will be sharing their gifts of writing, poetry, music, art and dance.

The week will end with a picnic in Glenwood Community Park.

Mississippi Freedom Summer was created in 1964 by Civil rights organizations in the state to focus on education and voter registration. At the Freedom Schools, the students were taught Black history and culture, citizenship, the importance of voting, reading, and math, much of which they were unable to receive in public school.

The event this year comes as lawmakers in at least 44 states, including Ohio, are attempting to pass legislation that would ban books and prohibit teachers from teaching certain aspects of American history.

The application is on the MVSTTP website or call/text 330-207-4467 or email [email protected]