Freedom School Teacher

This chapter details Luke's primary assignment, which was to teach at the Meridian Freedom School. This was the stuff of Luke's fondest dreams—a school system set up to encourage a world of curiosity dedicated to learning. For the students, there was the added allure of being part of the civil rights movement, supporting the quest for freedom and equal rights. At Freedom School, students learned about their heritage. Citizenship was the only required class. In it, students discussed African American history and read books they had never heard of written by famous Black authors. They also discussed how racism was used to maintain a system of oppression, learned about the struggle for civil rights and voting rights, and grappled with the philosophy and tactics of nonviolence. Like everyone else, Luke taught classes on citizenship and African American literature, but he most eagerly embraced the chance to teach biology.