1619 Freedom School

The 1619 Freedom School operates as a five-days-a-week, after-school program dedicated to delivering intensive literacy instruction and a culturally responsive curriculum aimed at bridging the academic opportunity gap among low-income public school students in Waterloo, Iowa.

The name “1619,” referencing the year the first enslaved Africans were brought to the English colonies that would later become the United States, symbolized the origins of Black American history. “Freedom School” paid homage to the community-based schools established during the Civil Rights Movement, which focused on educating Black youth about their history while empowering them to pursue social, political, and economic equality.

In collaboration with the 1619 Freedom School and Nikole Hannah-Jones, LegacyHistoryPride™ supported these efforts by donating a portion of proceeds from select merchandise. This initiative helped sustain a compassionate and empowering learning environment where students and educators worked together to strengthen literacy skills and foster a lasting love for reading through instruction centered on Black American history.