We must impress upon our children that even when troubles rise to seven-point-one on life’s Richter scale, they must be anchored so deeply that, though they sway, they will not topple. ~Mamie Till Mobley

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. ~Frederick Douglass

Cultural Heritage Program Orientation Overview

Initiated in 2016, The Baton Foundation is excited to host the eighth orientation for its signature Cultural Heritage Program. This program is free to the public, but registration is required.

August 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and almost seventy years since the horrific torture and killing of Emmet Till. In fact, organizers selected the date on which the March of Washington occurred (August 28, 1963), to honor the memory of young Emmett.

Today, states and school districts around the country are working feverishly to make it impossible for students to learn about history that casts the United States in a bad light–particularly as it relates to Black people. Too often, the story of Black people in the United States is told by others, and for reasons not meant to edify or to inspire, much less to reflect truth. It is important, though, that our children learn the entirety of our history.

The Baton Foundation’s Cultural Heritage Program is designed to give Atlanta-area Black boys (ages 10-17) opportunities to learn about Black history and culture in an intimate, supportive environment. In bi-weekly seminars, students explore various aspects of the Black experience in the United States and around the world. Additionally, they work with Baton Foundation facilitators to explore notions of self-awareness and self-mastery. The program also provides opportunities for students to explore many of Atlanta’s cultural venues and to engage in educational travel to historic and cultural sites.

During the orientation, attendees will learn more about the program and have an opportunity to ask questions of the program’s founder, Baton Foundation board members, and Cultural Heritage Program students.

Register for Zoom Orientation Here

Photo Credit: Adinah Morgan for The Baton Foundation (Cultural Heritage Program students at The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, 2019)