Freedomways Vol. 8 No. 1

About the Project

In its inaugural issue Freedomways magazine stated that its purpose was to explore “the new forms of economic, political and social systems now existing or emerging in the world” from the viewpoint of African Americans. From 1961 to 1985, the magazine did just that. Founded by Esther Jackson, W.E.B. Du Bois, Shirley Graham Du Bois, Edward Strong, and Louis Burnham, the magazine engaged editors, educators, poets, writers, activists, and artists to critique and report on not just the Civil Rights and other progressive movements in America, but to also cast an eye towards international and Pan-African movements across the globe. Articles also explored art, literature, and education. Individuals like Esther Cooper Jackson, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Nikki Giovanni, Lorraine Hansberry, Elizabeth Catlett, John Henrik Clarke, Kwame Nkrumah, and Harry Belafonte contributed to the magazine’s success. Under Jackson’s direction, Freedomways became the leading radical Black left publication of its time. Help us transcribe Freedomways to engage with intellectual, political and cultural thoughts from a defining era in history.

Read more

|
Show pages needing (scroll down to load more): Transcription | All

Completed!

Project Progress (details)
100 pages completed
Difficulty
2 out of 5
(details)

59

Contributing
members

100

Total
pages