Freedom Funders

Philanthropy and the Civil Rights Movement, 1955-1965

Freedom Funders

Read Freedom Funders

Written by: Sean Dobson

Date: June 23, 2014

In Freedom Funders, we examine the four foundations that played a critical, but often-overlooked, role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act. By supporting the leadership organizations of the Civil Rights Movement in the period from 1955-1965, The Field Foundation, The New World Foundation, The Stern Family Fund and the Taconic Foundation earned the moniker “Freedom Funders.”

Their stories serves as a lesson and inspiration for contemporary philanthropists seeking to address the pressing social justice issues of our time, such as ending discrimination and environmental injustice, securing a living wage and protecting voting rights.

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