Building What Freedom Requires: Intergenerational Struggle, Institutions, and the Politics we Inherit

An Oral History Project Conducted by John Robert Lewis Fellow Johntrell Bowles

Project Description

This oral history project explores the intergenerational legacy of Black political struggle through an in-depth interview with James Forman Jr.—Pulitzer Prize–winning author, Yale Law professor, and son of civil rights leader James Forman Sr. Centered on the theme “Building What Freedom Requires,” the project examines how structures of justice, memory, and education are carried forward across generations. Through reflections on law, public defense, teaching, and the founding of the Maya Angelou Schools, the interview captures how the personal and political intertwine in the ongoing work of building lasting institutions for Black freedom and collective liberation.