On the Frontlines of Freedom Summer

Students in US History teacher Andy Bigelow’s Civil Rights Movement class heard about the monumental summer of 1964 in Mississippi from Marv and Rosellen Hoffman. The Hoffmans spent a good portion of the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi working for Tougaloo College, one of a group of schools with the distinction of being Historically Black Colleges and Universities, where they were heavily involved in the civil rights movement and working with the first anti-poverty programs in the country.
 
The Hoffmans recounted their experiences being activists during that time and the danger of being in the state of Mississippi if one supported integration or the then-recent passing of the Civil Rights Act. They discussed a few occasions when they were persecuted because of their beliefs, including a time when someone poured sugar into their car’s gas tank with the intention of ruining their motor. Though the threats they faced were real, the Hoffmans knew the importance of taking a strong stand for what they believed.
 
“I had relatives die in the Holocaust, and that was constantly on my mind when I was growing up,” Marv Hoffman said. “I wanted to be able to tell my children that I wasn’t a bystander when injustice was taking place.”
 
The Hoffmans’ virtual visit coincided with the class reading I’ve Got the Light of Freedom by Charles M. Payne, which chronicles the importance of grassroots activism and the work of community organizers in 1960s Mississippi.
 
Students asked thoughtful questions about the Hoffmans’ experience and tied it to the prevalent activism of today, specifically the Black Lives Matter and climate change movements. The tenacity of today’s youth inspired the couple, who commented on the necessary commitment to be an activist then.
 
“Everyone we knew who were involved in the movement were passionate, dedicated people. You had to be. You were risking your life on a daily basis,” Marv said.
 
The lessons of history continue to be relevant to the issues of today, and interactions such as these continue to teach students the importance of using their voice to create real change for our global community.
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Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.