Artist: Jubilee School Students
Location: Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Ave
Date & Time: Friday, July 25th, 11:00AM - 4:00PM
In 1964 John Churchville, inspired by the work of Malcolm X, created the Freedom Library. Its purpose was to expose his North Philadelphia community to the under-told stories of Black history and literature.
On July 25th, Jubilee students in grades 4th and 5th grades will present their version of the Freedom Library in order to honor the legacy of the original library and its founder, Dr. John Churchville. The event will take place in a large tent outside the Wagner Institute of Science, not far from where the original Freedom Library was. Bookshelves will be filled with books telling stories of people of color from Philadelphia and around the world. Most of the books were written, illustrated and published by Jubilee students through their student created publishing company, Jubilee Voices Publishing House.
The main speaker at the event will be Dr. John Churchville, who will speak about the process of creating the Freedom Library, how it evolved into a school and how it eventually gave birth to a powerful coalition of North Philadelphia community members called the Black People’s Unity Movement. Through poetry and artwork, Jubilee students will honor members of the BPUM who are no longer with us, and will pay tribute to them through a ceremony of libations.
Other activities throughout the day will include story time for children, a time for playing Black history games and Afro-Brazilian drumming performed by Jubilee students. A highlight will be a performance by the jazz musician Alfie Pollit.
Jubilee is a learning community providing students with the opportunity to gain knowledge of the riches of their legacy through scholarship, the arts and the celebration of their African American heritage. Through their writing and social activism, students experience the power of their individual and collective voices to affect change in the world. Founded in 1977, Jubilee’s commitment is to provide a rigorous, comprehensive private school education which is affordable to all, regardless of income.