Freedom's Journal Institute

National Programs

Black Families Matter

**OUR VISION** To see thriving marriages and families in our communities as the norm and not the exception. **OUR MISSION** Is to change our communities one family and one marriage at a time. **OUR STORY** Black Families Matter is an initiative of Freedom's Journal Institute for the Study of Faith and Public Policy. Our earnest conviction is that many of the Black community's problems, as well as others, could be solved if we gave more attention to building strong & healthy families. We believe that to minimize confrontations with the police, eliminate visits to the abortion clinics, school dropouts and delinquency, incarcerations, as well as the illicit use of drugs and drug suppliers, we must focus on combatting the underlying problem--the dysfunction and disintegration of the Black Family. Because, if "Black Lives" really matter, we must commit to building our communities with a legacy of strong family values.

The Black Conservative Summit

**The Black Conservative Summit (BCS)** is an annual event designed to brings together national, state, and local leaders to discuss prominent issues facing today’s society on a national stage. Our goal includes both to aggregate and engenders Black conservative voices on issues facing America, in general, and the Black community, in particular, as a means to proffer solutions that positively impact our future and the world. **Objectives:** 1. To counter-balance the voice and ideological approach to social and fiscal issues espoused by leading Black liberal leaders, which currently dominants Black mainstream media (e,g., Tavis Smiley’s State of Black America or Roland Martin’s Washington Watch). 2. To provide informative plenary and breakout sessions, which discuss, in greater detail, national and state issues from a conservative perspective in hopes of proffering relevant and practical solutions. 3. To build alliances between independent groups and activists, which encourages them to work together to share resources, and speak with a united voice when possible. 4. To rekindle allegiance of the African American constituency and the conservative movement, in general, with a principled conservative message that resonates with all conservative Americans.

Freedom's Journal Magazine--History

**Freedom’s Journal Magazine,** the modern-day journal inspired by the 1827 African American newspaper of the same name, is a tribute to the courage and foresight of Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm, co-founders of America’s Black Press. These early “freedom fighters” desired to give African Americans of their day a vehicle to voice their thoughts, ideas and opinions declaring, “[w]e wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentation of things which concern us dearly.” As one might expect, these words hold as much truth today as they did when they were originally written. For us, their dedication to creating a “medium between brethren in different states [who] through its columns and expressions of sentiments on many interesting subjects which concern us, [would] be offered to the public; that plans which are apparently beneficial may be candidly discussed and properly weighed” became, in part, the impetus and vision for today’s magazine. FJM pledges to continue their fight by looking forward to offering the latest in regional, national and international news, opinion, and editorial content with a biblical worldview. Also, we are committed (among other things) to conserve traditional African American values; provide a much-needed platform for examining issues and concerns pursuant to ensuring our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and to preserve a legacy of black conservatism for generations to come.