Freedmen was the term used to identify America’s emancipated slaves and their descendants after chattel slavery was abolished in the United States following the Civil War. America’s Freedmen were supposed to be Freemen entitled to all of the personal, political and civil rights granted to our country’s citizens. Yet, America used race to repeatedly deny its newest Freemen the full scope of these benefits conferred with citizenship, including equal access to participate in economic opportunities. The Freeman Initiative was conceived in the wake of an increasing collection of data corroborating Black Americans, specifically American descendants of chattel slavery, experienced disproportionately negative outcomes in nearly every socioeconomic status measurement, as well as growing awareness of how systemic racism perpetuates generational oppression and poverty within this group of people. Whether we are talking about the racial wealth gap, government surveillance and profiling, incarceration, housing discrimination, property evaluation, voting suppression, employment, healthcare, drug arrests, immigration policies enforcement, or environmental planning and pollution, systemic racism plays a part in nearly every aspect of Black life in America. Social justice movements and increasing advocacy for fairness and equal treatment have never been needed more.

What is the Freeman Initiative? We are a non-partisan U.S.-based social justice education organization focused on dismantling institutions and systems that perpetuate race-based oppression and poverty, especially for the most marginalized of our country, namely Black Americans. In addition to implementing programs and campaigns in our focus areas, we aim to provide training, educational materials, and toolkits designed to foster advocacy for transformative social changes in America that will benefit us all collectively.

Join us in this mission. Become a member or donate now to help disrupt inequalities in America and create a society in which all people can indeed have the same opportunities and freedoms.