Clifton's American Stories: Freedom Square

This West Baltimore historic area served as the epicenter of Baltimore's struggle for equality and justice during the civil rights movement
About this Event

Freedom Square is a historic place in West Baltimore where people, institutions, and events shaped Baltimore, Maryland, and America. It is a neighborhood where giants like Thurgood Marshall, Juanita Jackson Mitchell, and generations of courageous citizens learned, lived, worshiped, organized, and fought for justice. Freedom Square reveals to our young people the shoulders on which they stand and reminds our adults of the sacrifices that made progress possible. Freedom Square tells every generation: history didn’t just happen somewhere else - history happened right here, and history’s next chapter belongs to us.

Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr. is a proud son of Baltimore and is Pastor Emeritus of the historic Union Baptist Church. For more than 50 years, Dr. Hathaway worked with people across our city to strengthen our neighborhoods and create opportunities for our young people. Today, he leads the Beloved Community Services Corporation, where he and partners work to preserve and share the powerful history of Baltimore’s Freedom Square. Dr. Hathaway proclaims, “I believe that when we know our history, we better understand who we are - and what we can become.”