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January 2025 Monthly Clergy Call
As we gathered Thursday, January 6th, I was reminded of the sacred mandate God gave to Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This divine instruction was not just about recounting past events, but about instilling a sense of identity, purpose, and faith in the next generation.
In much the same way, the Black church has a profound responsibility to teach our children about our history—both our spiritual journey and our struggle for freedom. God set us free from the chains of slavery, and it is our duty to ensure that this history, along with the broader narrative of Black history and civics, is passed down to our children. We are unique in that we often expect our oppressors to teach us our own history, but it is time for us to reclaim this responsibility.
The early Sunday schools were acts of resistance, often operating underground to teach Black children how to read when it was illegal to do so. These schools were more than just Bible schools; they were sanctuaries of empowerment and hope through literacy. Today, we have the opportunity to expand this legacy by teaching our children not only about our history but also about technology, science, and other essential subjects.
The Freedom School Model we discuss last night harkens back to this sacred responsibility—a responsibility that has been neglected by the Black church for too long. Tonight, we have the opportunity to explore how we can revive this tradition and build educational systems that truly serve our communities.
You heard from:
Edward LaPorte, Director of the NJ Office of Faith-Based Initiatives leads the Freedom School work from the state
Dr. Charles Payne, Distinguished Professor of African American Studies and expert on the History and Freedom School Model
Rev. Dr. Darrell Armstrong, Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton and runs one of the Freedom Schools in Trenton
Rev. Dr. Kenneth Clayton Sr., Pastor of St. Luke Baptist Church runs the Paterson Freedom School
Rev. Dr. Weldon McWilliams IV, Pastor of Christ Temple Baptist Church, Scholar, Activist (Implemented a Black History School), and Chair of the Black Studies Department at SUNY New Paltz
It’s On ‘Til Liberation!
We appreciate all the resources shared by our participants as well and encourage you all to review & engage with them moving forward:
Rev. Carol Lynn-Patterson's Black History School curriculum: https://www.setcaptivesfree.com/bhs-black-history-school
Rev. Dr. Weldon McWilliams' Black History School - email him at theblackhistoryschool@gmail.com
Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies
Freedom School Song [“Something Inside So Strong”]
Rev. Dr. Darrell Armstrong,Shiloh Baptist Church -Trenton | (609) 686-7573 | President@ShilohCDC.org
Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act
Rev. Dr. Leslie Harrison: Mt Zion Riverton Anti-Erasure Forum Saturday Jan 11, 2025 1-3 pm |
The New Jersey Office of Faith Based Initiatives Freedom School Project support NJ Freedom Schools certified as Children Defense Fund Freedom Schools.NJ Freedom Schools provide educational and character-building support to K-12 students and their families by implementing an intensive academic summer program as well as continuous follow up, homework, and tutoring services throughout the academic school year.
Contact Eddie LaPorte by email at Edward.laporte@sos.nj.gov or by phone at ((732) 289-1896
The Radical Affirmation of Dignity
Septima Clark, Ella Baker, and Educating the Disenfranchised
By: Charity Anderson & Dr. Charles Payne
Freedom Summer
Freedom Schools
Education for Liberation
“Education should enable children to possess their own lives instead of living at the mercy of others.” –Charlie Cobb, Jr.
“Freedom Schools should] make it possible for them to challenge the myths of our society, to perceive more clearly its realities, and to find alternatives and ultimately, new directions for action.” –Charlie Cobb, Jr.
What is Project Daniel Exactly?
Presentation
Project Daniel is an educational enrichment program and curriculum. In the rich tradition of the African American Church, Project Daniel views education as emancipatory. The program uses three source strands to weave its narrative:
The stories of the Book of Daniel
The community organizing principles of the NguzoSaba (Kwanzaa)
A Freirean pedagogy and methodology
Education as Activism
By: Dr. Daniel Payne
Activist education has deep roots in African-American history but is often overlooked. This paper examines the Freedom Schools, established during the summer of 1964 in Mississippi by SNCC and COFO to support voting rights efforts. These schools provided traditional and culturally enriching subjects, empowering Black communities to create institutions that served their needs. The model remains relevant today, addressing issues like Black history, systemic oppression, and the connections between racism and sexism.
Contact Dr. Daniel Payne by email at Charles.payne@rutgers.edu
As we stand on the brink of a new federal administration, it is more important than ever to ensure that we secure protections at the state, county, and municipal levels. This is a pivotal moment in our history, and all of our participation will be crucial to our collective success.
Here are a few policy items that SandSJ is currently advocating for and ways that you can support them.
Contact your state representative and tell them that you want to see increased funding for community-led crisis response teams as well as them being made fixed line items in the state's budget to ensure the sustainability and viability of these critical programs. Additionally, we encourage you to appeal to county and municipal leadership in your respective areas urging them to support local investments into these programs that have a proven track record of success.
With an upcoming Trump administration on the horizon, Black communities will have limited recourse in facing state-sanctioned violence as we know Trump has vowed to stop the DOJ and FBI from investigating police departments that routinely violate civil rights. So, we need you to contact legislative leadership and urge them to enact Senate Bill 2348 codifying the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive. Codifying the Use of Force Directive would significantly strengthen protections against police use of force beyond this current administration and what has become an increasingly hostile federal government. Contact state lawmakers and urge them to hold a hearing and advance this bill.
While evidence shows that recidivism rates drastically decline with age, senior citizens exist as the fastest-growing segment in New Jersey's prison population. Despite having spent decades incarcerated and demonstrating little to no evidence of being a threat to public safety, close to 1000 seniors languish in New Jersey prisons at great moral and fiscal cost to this state and its taxpayers. We ask that you contact lawmakers and urge them to advance Senate Bill 2338/Assembly Bill 4463 for a hearing. This bill would allow incarcerated seniors age 60 and older who have served at least 20 years of their sentence to petition the court for resentencing. This rehabilitative release bill mirrors the recommendations from the NJ Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission's 2024 report. Let legislative leadership know that we need a hearing on this important bill.
You can make your voices heard by contacting:
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin | Phone: (732) 855-7441 | Email: AsmCoughlin@njleg.org
Senate President Nicholas Scutari | Phone: (732) 827-7480 | Email: SenScutari@njleg.org
YOU CAN LOCATE YOUR LEGISLATOR BY VISITING: https://njleg.state.nj.us/#findLegislator
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