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On July 31-August 1, 2024, The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) hosted ‘64-’24: The 60th Anniversary of Freedom Summer, a virtual conference where Andrew Goodman Ambassadors and young people from across the country gathered to hear inspiring panels and participate in training sessions, just as young organizers did ahead of Freedom Summer 1964. The event served as the ninth National Civic Leadership Training Summit, creating a space to bring together Andrew Goodman Ambassadors, Alumni, Campus Champions, partner organizations, and community supporters to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer. 

The Andrew Goodman Foundation was established in memory of Andrew Goodman, a civil rights worker who, 60 years ago, was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan, alongside activists James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner, for registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi’s Freedom Summer. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program, a national, nonpartisan network of civic leaders working to register voters, bring down voting barriers, and tackle important social justice issues on their college campuses. Andrew Goodman Ambassadors demonstrate how the movement of young people that propelled Freedom Summer did not end in 1964, but continues on today. With the 2024 General Election only weeks ahead, we see how young people are uniquely positioned to address the current issues of our nation.  

July 31, 2024: Opening Ceremony | Celebrating 10 Years of Impact

‘64-’24 began with an introduction from Rashawn Davis, Executive Director of AGF. The Opening Remarks were followed by an announcement of the Living The Legacy Scholarship, which will honor five selected high school students who demonstrate exemplary civic leadership qualities within their school and community through recognition, financial assistance, and training. 

The Programs Team then took a moment to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program. David and Sylvia Goodman — brother and sister-in-law of Andrew Goodman — launched the program in 2014 in the wake of Shelby County v. Holder’s impact on the Voting Rights Act. The program was created to carry on Andrew’s legacy and address the threats to civic and voter engagement on college campuses and beyond. Over the past decade, the program has worked with 88 colleges and universities, which have collectively mobilized and impacted over 1.5 million people. The Founding Fifteen Campuses are Allegheny College, Arizona State University, Bard College, Binghamton University, Cornell University, CUNY Queens College, Elon University, Louisiana State University, Miami University, Simpson College, Tennessee State University, Tufts University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Mississippi, and the University of Utah.

The Founding Fifteen celebration was followed by the 2024 Hidden Heroes Award Ceremony, recognizing six Hidden Heroes for their commitment to ensuring college students on campuses nationwide are registered, informed, and civically engaged during election seasons and beyond. Congratulations again to the following awardees, and thank you for all your hard work to make young voices and votes a powerful force in our democracy!

• Andrew Goodman Ambassador Honoree: Bianca Sanchez, Allegheny College
• Andrew Goodman Ambassador of the Year: Sydney Karlin, Ramapo College of New Jersey
• Andrew Goodman Campus Champion of the Year: Dr. Teri Platt, Clark Atlanta University
• Andrew Goodman Campus Team of the Year: Miami Dade College-Wolfson (Kiki Mutis, Shemika Deosthene, and Rio Hevia Silvera)
• HBCU Service Award: Bryan Daye, North Carolina A&T State University 
• Rising Star of the Year: Laianni Moore, Tennessee State University

August 1, 2024: Reflecting On The Past To Move Forward

The second day of ‘64-’24 began with a Keynote Address featuring Jalakoi Solomon, the Executive Vice President, Campaigns & Partnerships, at Civic Nation. Following the Keynote Address, Legacy Hour began with a conversation featuring Frank Figgers, who attended a Freedom School as a child in Mississippi, and Charles Person, who was a Freedom Rider. They shared and reflected on their experiences as young people of the Civil Rights Movement and activists in the 60 years since Freedom Summer, as well as how the fight continues today. Legacy Hour also featured a presentation by the ACLU of New Jersey on knowing one’s rights while exercising the right to protest. 

The next hour provided those in our civic pipeline — Andrew Goodman Ambassadors, Alumni, Campus Champions, and high school students — with their own breakout sessions to network and share their organizing best practices. The following Activation Hour had three options for breakout sessions: one showcasing the utility of nonpartisan voter guides with Guides.Vote, another with The Center For American Progress on the power of one vote, and the other featuring a session on how to build voter engagement coalitions with the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition. 

Three Andrew Goodman Campus Teams hosted training sessions throughout the final hour of the summit. Abigail Wells of the University of Central Arkansas presented on improving accessibility at the polls, which introduced participants to the legal protections for voters with disabilities and the accessibility practices that support voters with disabilities. Erin Mysogland, a Campus Champion, focused on Pace University’s successful efforts to get an on-campus poll site. The third session was presented by Alex Edgar and Sandra Bass of the University of California-Berkeley on cultivating civic responsibility and joy in higher education, using their campus as a case study to share best practices and examples of how students and staff working collaboratively can fundamentally change the nature of civic engagement on college campuses.

Special Acknowledgments

The Andrew Goodman Foundation is grateful for our partners, including the All In Campus Democracy Challenge, All Voting Is Local, Ask Every Student, Ballot Ready, Campus Compact, Campus Vote Project, Democracy Works, The Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, League of Women Voters, National Voter Education Week, National Voter Registration Day, Power The Polls, Rock The Vote, Scholars Strategy Network, Students Learn Students Vote Coalition, Student PIRGs, Vote.org, Vote Early Day, and the Youth Power Project. We also thank our ‘64-’24 Promotional Partners, including the ACLU of New Jersey, The Center For American Progress, Guides.Vote, and iCivics.

Continue to Live the Legacy

Though ‘64-’24 is behind us, we are just getting started! Relive ‘64-’24 with the Summit’s YouTube Playlist! You can also keep the ‘64-’24 vibes going by listening to the official ‘64-’24 Spotify Playlist and the Live the Legacy Podcast. We are moving full steam ahead with the 2024 General Election approaching, so be sure to stay informed, inspired, and civically engaged with us! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mia Matthews is the Program and Communications Manager at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. In her position, she works with student leaders and in communications surrounding their work. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.