Repository: Archives & Special Collections, Charles Evans Inniss Memorial Library of Medgar Evers College, CUNY
Location: CEIML ASPC, Suite 0108
Identifier: FWJ
Collection Title: Freedomways Journal Collection, 1961-1985
Name of Creator(s): Freedomways
Inclusive Dates: 1961–1985
Language(s): English
Quantity: 2 linear feet

SCOPE AND CONTENT
This collection contains 95 issues of the Freedomways journal from 1961-1985.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Freedomways was the leading African-American theoretical, political and cultural journal of the 1960s–1980s. It began publishing in 1961 and ceased in 1985.

From its opening issue in the spring of 1961, it invited historians, sociologists, economists, artists, workers, and students to write on African American history, heritage, and culture. The brainchild of New Yorkers Louis Burnham and Edward Strong, it was shepherded by W.E.B. Du Bois — who edited the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP’s) The Crisis — and his wife Shirley Graham Du Bois served as the first general editor. The journal was impacted most profoundly by the thought of Du Bois and Paul Robeson and from its founding displayed a decisively activist tone.
From its start in 1961, Freedomways was active in reporting on and providing insight into the Civil Rights Movement and events taking place in the South. Its political leanings also made it an active voice for African liberation movements and decolonization movements everywhere. Freedomways published articles by African liberation leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius K. Nyerere, Agostinho Nego, and Jomo Kenyatta, as well as Caribbean thinkers such as C.L.R. James and Cheddi Jagan, often providing American audiences with their first exposure to the ideas of those who were actively engaged in fighting colonialism. In 1965 Freedomways became the first black publication to oppose U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. The journal was also concerned with broader issues including organized labor, affirmative action in the workplace, education, the role of women, the justice system, and the death penalty.
The magazine’s major focus after 1965, however, was on the black studies, arts, and culture movements. The journal published writings from three Novel Prize laureates (poets Pablo Neruda and Derek Walcott and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) as well as prize-winning authors such as James Baldwin and Alice Walker. Walker later became a contributing editor of the journal. One of the guiding principles of the journal was that the black artist should be a central guide and voice in ongoing freedom struggles.
Freedomways published its last issue in 1985. During its 24 year history Freedomways through its pages gave a platform to hundreds of voices, both famous and less well known, who spoke out for intellectual, cultural, social, political, and economic freedom. As such it became part of the rich intellectual heritage of the African American community.

(BLACKPAST https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/freedomways-1961-1985/)

INDEX TERMS (Institutions; Individual names)
Freedomways Associates, Inc.
Louis Burnham
Edward Strong
W.E.B. Du Bois
Esther Cooper Jackson

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Acquisition Information: This collection was acquired by the Archives of the Charles Evans Inniss Memorial Library, Medgar Evers College, CUNY.
Processing Information: Collection processing and finding aid were completed by Yelena Novitskaya, MEC Archives and Special Collections librarian, in 2022.
Conditions of Access and Use: Access to the collection is unrestricted. It is available for research purposes. Duplication of the collection may be governed by copyright and other restrictions.
Physical Access: Appointment is required for access.

COLLECTION ARRANGEMENT
The journal issues are arranged chronologically (in the order of appearance) in 7 cases and shelved in the Archives.

COLLECTION INVENTORY AND DESCRIPTION
Case 1: Freedomways
Freedomways, Spring 1961, Vol. 1, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1961, Vol. 1, No. 3
Freedomways, Spring 1963, Vol. 3, No. 2
Freedomways, Winter 1965, Vol. 5, No. 1
Freedomways, Summer 1965, Vol. 5, No. 3 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Winter 1966, Vol. 6, No. 1
Freedomways, Fall 1967, Vol. 7, No. 4 (2 copies)
Case 2: Freedomways
Freedomways, Spring 1968, Vol. 8, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1968, Vol. 8, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1968, Vol. 8, No. 4 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Winter 1969, Vol. 9, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1969, Vol. 9, No. 2 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Summer 1969, Vol. 9, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1969, Vol. 9, No. 4
Case 3: Freedomways
Freedomways, Winter 1970, Vol. 10, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1970, Vol. 10, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1970, Vol. 10, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1970, Vol. 10, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1971, Vol. 11, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1971, Vol. 11, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1971, Vol. 11, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1971, Vol. 11, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1972, Vol. 12, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1972, Vol. 12, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1972, Vol. 12, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1973, Vol. 13, No. 1
Case 4: Freedomways
Freedomways, Spring 1973, Vol. 13, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1973, Vol. 13, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1973, Vol. 13, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1974, Vol. 14, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1974, Vol. 14, No. 2
Freedomways, Fall 1974, Vol. 14, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1975, Vol. 15, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1975, Vol. 15, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1975, Vol. 15, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1975, Vol. 15, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1976, Vol. 16, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1976, Vol. 16, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1976, Vol. 16, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1976, Vol. 16, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1977, Vol. 17, No. 1
Case 5: Freedomways
Freedomways, Spring 1977, Vol. 17, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1977, Vol. 17, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1977, Vol. 17, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1978, Vol. 18, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1978, Vol. 18, No. 2 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Summer 1978, Vol. 18, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1978, Vol. 18, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1979, Vol. 19, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1979, Vol. 19, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1979, Vol. 19, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1979, Vol. 19, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1980, Vol. 20, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1980, Vol. 20, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1980, Vol. 20, No. 3 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Fall 1980, Vol. 20, No. 4
Case 6: Freedomways
Freedomways, Winter 1981, Vol. 21, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1981, Vol. 21, No. 2 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Summer 1981, Vol. 21, No. 3 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Fall 1981, Vol. 21, No. 4 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Winter 1982, Vol. 22, No. 1
Freedomways, Spring 1982, Vol. 22, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1982, Vol. 22, No. 3
Freedomways, Fall 1982, Vol. 22, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1983, Vol. 23, No. 1 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Spring 1983, Vol. 23, No. 2 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Summer 1983, Vol. 23, No. 3 (2 copies)
Case 7: Freedomways
Freedomways, Fall 1983, Vol. 23, No. 4
Freedomways, Winter 1984, Vol. 24, No. 1 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Spring 1984, Vol. 24, No. 2
Freedomways, Summer 1984, Vol. 24, No. 3 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Fall 1984, Vol. 24, No. 4 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Winter 1985, Vol. 25, No. 1 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Summer 1985, Vol. 25, No. 2 (2 copies)
Freedomways, Fall 1985, Vol. 25, No. 3 (2 copies)