The Freedom
School
The August Wilson American Century Cycle Freedom School Series is a community-centered educational initiative created through a partnership between The Village Initiative for Education Equity and Omniwerx, co-founded by Omiyẹmi Green. Rooted in the historic tradition of the Civil Rights Freedom Schools, the series was developed to cultivate historical awareness, cultural literacy, collective care, and intergenerational dialogue through the works of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.
Inspired by the principles of “about us, by us, for us, and near us,” the Freedom School believes Black stories and Black history are not supplemental — they are foundational.
The Freedom School Series centers the study of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle — Wilson’s groundbreaking ten-play collection chronicling Black life across each decade of the twentieth century. Students receive complete sets of Wilson’s plays to build personal libraries and encourage continued learning beyond the classroom. Through the leadership and teaching of Omiyẹmi Green, students participate in reading, discussion, performance, poetry, reflection, and fellowship. Scholars explore themes of identity, spirituality, migration, memory, resistance, family, joy, and survival while developing confidence, cultural awareness, and critical thinking skills.
More than a curriculum, the Freedom School Series is an act of cultural preservation, lineage work, and community stewardship
In a time when truthful history and storytelling are increasingly challenged, the Freedom School remains committed to protecting memory, uplifting Black voices, and creating spaces where future generations can still imagine freedom.
As the Freedom School teaches: “Before freedom could be achieved, it first had to be imagined.”
The program encourages young people to see themselves not only as students of history, but as carriers of legacy, imagination, and future possibility.
Hosted at St. John Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Carlon Lassiter, the Freedom School creates a sacred, community-rooted space where students and families gather for collective study and shared memory. Scholars ages 11–18 participate in culturally grounded learning experiences designed to connect history, art, storytelling, and community. Under the leadership of Jacqueline Bridgeforth Williams and The Village Initiative for Education Equity, scholars also participate in immersive educational experiences through The Local Black Histories Project, including descendant-led Historic Triangle Black history tours, storytelling experiences, and community discussions that connect local history to the themes explored in Wilson’s work. Students are also introduced to documentary storytelling and preservation efforts through screenings and discussions connected to the descendant-led documentary Displaced from the Birthplace of America, which explores the displacement of Williamsburg’s historic Black communities and the enduring legacy of the Triangle Block.