From 1920 to 1935 African American families lived in thousands of communities (freedom colonies) which they created after Emancipation in 1865.These individuals, many with little or no education, built over 5,000 schools throughout the southern United States. Millions of children went from its classrooms into the world to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, scientist, business people and military leaders.

It was a crusade that rivaled any crusade in human history led by ordinary people in their rural and small town communities who accomplished the extraordinary. By the 21st century it was little remembered the enormous faith these families had in themselves and their children in the face of racism, poverty, ignorance and government indifference to their plight decades after the end of slavery.

Despite the humble origins of this movement would the American dream of equal justice for all that drove the Civil Rights movement have been realized?

thelongblackline.org preserves the history of the founders of the Rosenwald School Initiative (Julius Rosenwald and Booker T Washington) who in partnership with these mothers,fathers, and schools teachers created a movement that demonstrated the power of community and what ordinary people are capable of.

thelongblackline.org is dedicated to the idea that the principles that created this generation of children who stepped out of poverty and into a future of success are the principles for success that parents today hunger to find for their children who face unique obstacles in a modern world. Nevertheless this formula for success is timeless regardless of a child’s circumstances economically or socially.