Category Archives: New York

A commemoration of Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, and Michael Schwerner to inspire the continuing struggle for an inclusive society featuring the Rev. Dr. James Forbes

June 9, 2014
West Park Presbyterian Church
The Center at West Park
165 West 86th Street
No advance ticketing. Doors open at 6:30 pm; program begins at 7:00 pm. Admission is free.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Summer and the murders of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner as they canvassed the south in an effort to register African-Americans to vote. Much has changed in the 50 years since that summer, but the daily headlines remind us how far we still have to go in creating a more just and inclusive world for all.

What can we learn from the events of the Freedom Summer to help us in our current struggles for equality? What kind of community existed in the Upper West Side in 1964 to encourage a 20-year-old Andrew Goodman to leave his home to work for civil rights? How can we create and support communities that encourage young people to fight for social justice today?

One June 9, The Center at West Park and West Park Presbyterian Church, in cooperation with the Andrew Goodman Foundation, will present: Freedom Summer: The Next Generation, a commemoration and discussion where we can begin to answer these questions.

The Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Sr. Pastor at Riverside Church, President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation, will be delivering the keynote address. Responding to the keynote and offering their own reflections will be:

• Linda Sansour, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York
• Simran Jeet Singh, Senior Religion Fellow for the Sikh Coalition and the Executive Director for the Sikh Spirit Foundation
• Stosh Cotler, Chief Executive Officer of Bend the Arc, A Jewish Partnership for Justice

The evening will feature freedom songs from the civil rights era, curated by recording artist and Upper West Sider, Jeremy Mage. Andrew’s brother David is expected to be present, as well as City Council Member Helen Rosenthal and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

Venue: West Park Presbyterian Church is located at 165 West 86th Street, on the northeast corner of Amsterdam Avenue. Enter through Amsterdam Avenue doors. For accessible entrance, use doors on W. 86th Street.

No advance ticketing. Doors open at 6:30 pm; program begins at 7:00 pm. Admission is free.

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The Andrew Goodman Foundation was founded in honor of Andrew Goodman. Andy was a 20-year old college student who joined Freedom Summer in 1964 to register African-Americans to vote. On his first day in Mississippi, June 21, 1964, Andy, along with James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Andy and his contemporaries were young Americans who joined a movement to take action against injustice. Andy’s actions continue to inspire change agents globally.

Today, The Andrew Goodman Foundation is a key ally to young change agents: offering opportunities for greater civic impact, sponsoring the catalytic stories of the past, and identifying leaders and movements open to new ideas and action. The Foundation’s mission is to empower the next generation to initiate and sustain creative and effective social action; we enable leaders and their communities to flourish by operating and investing in programs that advance civic engagement and intergenerational coalitions.

West Park Presbyterian Church is a diverse, inclusive faith community with an extensive history of cutting edge, social justice advocacy.

The Center at West Park is an independent, nonprofit organization, housed at West-Park Church and dedicated to the work of personal and social transformation through culture and the arts, social activism, intergenerational education, and the cultivation of wonder and the human spirit. For more information, visit .