../Programs
The Prince and
Isabella Freedom Festival
The Foundation’s idea of hosting
a
Freedom Festival was born in April 2002, to commemorate the 175th
anniversary of Prince Ibrahima’s and Isabella’s epic journey from the
bondage of slavery in Mississippi to freedom in Africa in 1828. The
Freedom Festival took place in Natchez, Mississippi, and brought
together students, scholars, supporters and living descendants of families
associated with Ibrahima (Abduhl Rahahman) and Isabella in both Africa and
in the United States.
The first Freedom Festival was a
rare and poignant event. For attendees, it represented a special time for
healing and reconciliation between a generations of families intricately
linked by the history of American slavery and the struggle for freedom. Now
in the spirit of reconciliation and healing, the Foundation hosts a Freedom
Festival every five years. At the Festival, attendees enjoy both a
celebration in remembrance of Ibrahima’s and Isabella’s freedom as well as
an opportunity to reflect on reconciling American slavery with the gains
descendants of slaves have made today. In addition, annually the Foundation
hosts a one day symposium in April in commemoration of Ibrahima’s and
Isabella’s freedom.
Northwestern
University, Evanston Campus, serves as both a sponsor and supporter of
the Foundation’s Freedom Festival. By offering its facilities to the
Foundation, Northwestern’s annual support enables the Foundation to bring
greater awareness of the need for reconciliation and healing to a wider
audience.
In 2007, the Festival
commemorated the 200th Anniversary of the reunion in a Mississippi market
place between Prince Ibrahima (Abduhl Rahahman) and Dr. John Cox, the Irish
physician rescued on the coast of West Africa by King Ibrahima Sori-Mawdho,
the Prince’s father.
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The Trans-Atlantic Connection
A major part of the Foundation’s
vision is its desire to educate people of non-Africa descent on the culture
of peoples of African descent. Thus, the Foundation promotes scientific and
educational travel tours, as well as cultural and informational exchanges.
By hosting a variety of events such as sporting, cultural, academic
symposia, and relevant film screenings, the Foundation believes that such
exchanges will creatively further the cause of freedom and the appreciation
of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our world.
Research and Historical Preservation Projects
In collaboration with
Northwestern University’s Program of African Studies and
Africana Library,
Africa University in Zimbabwe,
Spark Media in
Washington, DC, and some of the many organizations and individuals
devoted to increasing understanding of and between people of African, the
Foundation undertakes research projects that will promote healing, education
and reconciliation. The Foundation’s outreach efforts extend to educational
institutions, ethnic and minority communities, and various organizations
around the world.
In the area of preservation, the
Foundation seeks to acquire and subsequently restore a portion of the
Foster
Plantation, especially the area where Abduhl Rahahman, his family and
other slaves lived known as the Slave Quarter on the Foster fields.
Natchez and Adams Counties in Mississippi were home to over 13,000
enslaved Africans and Indigenous Americans and 5,600 whites in 1860.
Uncovering the incredible history of Natchez County Mississippi which
remains either hidden or lost in Mississippi’s court houses, archives and
soil is a major research and historical preservation goal for the
Foundation.
The Foundation seeks also to
undertake the historical preservation and rehabilitation of the Futa Jallon
Museum in Guinea. The Foundation’s effort will retrieve and restore ruined
historical records associated with the royal kingdom in Fuuta Jallon and its
rich history that is almost forgotten and misrepresented. Currently, the
Foundation has begun developing a partnership agreement with the curator of
the museum and other individuals and members of Abduhl Rahaman’s family in
Guinea.
Similar efforts are underway in
Liberia to retrieve and document the life and legacy of Abduhl Rahahman’s
family members who emigrated in 1831 in anticipation of joining their
parents. This historical research and preservation is a result of over ten
years of the Foundation’s and its President’s extensive research. A family
memoir is currently in progress.
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Wholistic Development Project
In response to the global efforts
against the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the deplorable public health
infrastructures in many parts of Africa and poor minority communities around
the world, the Foundation has undertaken a comprehensive and integrated
development initiative aimed at preventing the further spread of the
HIV/AIDS pandemic by joining a national and international coalition of
organizations who can address the many social layers that lead to the
indiscriminate spread of HIV/AIDS in the Diaspora communities.
The Wholistic Development Project
encompasses the training and skill development of health personnel and
volunteers and the rehabilitation of existing health facilities for the
testing, treatment and care of potential carriers; strengthening the
capacities and forging greater collaboration with faith-based organizations
(FBOs), grassroots organizations (GROs), government agencies, and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs); facilitate the implementation of
anti-AIDS campaigns via educational and awareness activities, (sports,
theatrical and cultural); invigorate the public through new media and
facilitate employable skills training, vocational and literacy work; and
undertake sustainable development initiatives in conformance with the vision
and philosophies of the Foundation. The Foundation has selected Liberia as
the first country to implement this wholistic initiative.
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Piiff Net Initiative
To increase the information and
skill exchange between African-based community NGOs, the PIIFF Net
Initiative will develop the first of its kind local web page with a
directory of African community-based NGOs. The Initiative will also provide
technical training and internet development training to the NGOs served; and
provide free access to the NGOs served of the directory’s resources. The
Initiative will be a joint pilot project between the Foundation and national
councils of NGOs in designated countries. The Initiative will also be
implemented by other local and international partners, including Information
Systems Academy,
Africa Online, Electronic Factory and
Sun Microsystems.
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Illinois Department of Health
In 2005 when President Sirleaf
was invited as guest on the Oprah Show, she paid a courtesy call to
Illinois's Governor Blagojovich . He asked, "What could the State of
Illinois do for Liberia?" Madam Sirleaf said, "Help us fight HIV/AIDs and
rebuilding our healthcare facilities." Out of that conversation,
Abbott laboratory
donated $25,000 of rapid aids test kits and the Illinois department of
public health immediately setup a technical team to visit Liberia. The
technical team has travelled twice to Liberia and brought senior healthcare
workers from liberia to Illinois. Dr. Andre Rawls Chief -HIVsection at IDPH
and chair of NASTAD has been deeply involved with this initiative and has
brought PIIFF on board as consulting partner in this strategic work.
The Foundation serves as
consultant to the Illinois Department of Public Health and the National
Association of States and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) for their
international programming in Liberia, South Africa, and Botswana. The
Foundation traveled to Liberia in 2006 and 2007on behalf of the Department
in order to gather data instrumental in rewriting Liberia's application for
the millennium grant on HIV and AIDS prevention and to retrain healthcare
workers. The Foundation has played a significant role helping to fund the
Liberia Public Health Department as it combats the spread of HIV/AIDS. Thus
far, Liberia has received $100 million towards this effort; this amount
represents more than twice the Liberian national budget from 2005-2007.
African
Diaspora Network
The Foundation has established
the African Diaspora Network which aims to bring together Africans who have
a deep passion for African development and pool their talents and financial
resources toward rebuilding a stronger Africa. The Network meets monthly to
discuss economic, social, intellectual, spiritual issues associated with the
continent. From these discussions the Network then brainstorms to develop
effective strategies to combat the issues on the ground. The Network has
successfully created a support network that is able to make significant
contributions to local communities both in America and Africa.
Read More
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Freedom's Journal
Our online news magazine. The magazine honors the
legacy of John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish who in 1827 founded the first
black newspaper, named Freedom’s Journal. In 1828 Russwurm met and
interviewed Abduhl Rahahman and like the prince, Russwurm also emigrated to
Liberia and served as governor of Maryland in Africa. This magazine will
focus on current events and issues directly related to the cause of freedom,
justice, and human dignity around the world.
Other Reading Material:
Boston's Connection to Freedom's Journal
FUTURE PROJECTS
Project Hope
The Foundation in collaboration
with the Pan African will design a three year mentoring program that targets
150 “high risk” youth between grades 4 and 8. By pairing the student with a
trained mentor, the mentor will encourage the at risk student to dare to
dream outside the often oppressive conditions of urban life. The student
will be sponsored to participate in cultural and recreational activities,
academic enrichment programs and given exposure to non-traditional career
paths. Project Hope will disrupt the social patterns of at risk youth in an
effort to redefine the future opportunities of a student who was raised in a
poor urban environment.
Small Learning Communities
(SLCs)
Data collected by the Foundation
reveals the dismal academic performance of African refugees’ children in
Illinois schools. Their drop-out rates double the state average; absenteeism
is extraordinarily high and failure rates per grade level in this community
reach up to 65% in some grades. The Foundation will address this problem by
ensuring through the development of a tutorial advisory system that all
African students of African refugees attending school in Chicago have at
least one caring adult who will be responsible for monitoring the student’s
academic and social progress particularly during the student’s high school
career.
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Scholarships and Grants
The Foundation also awards
scholarships and grants to individuals and organizations who advance its
vision and philosophy. Guidelines are posted for each of these various
awards during the Foundation’s awarding cycle.
The Annual Prince Ibrahima and Isabella Freedom Legacy Ceremony
This award recognizes six
outstanding individuals for their work and contributions in advancing the
cause of freedom, justice, and human dignity in their various communities.
Individuals are nominated only by members of the Foundation; and a committee
appointed by the Board of Directors is charged with selecting the top six
candidates for this prestigious award. Deadlines, rules and regulations for
nominations will be posted soon.
Expansion
The Foundation is pleased to
announce the opening of its Minnesota Office headed by Mr. Richmond Tobii.
For more information, call (952) 451-9171.
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