MBF Awards $20,000 to George Lewis Ruffin Society for a New Long Road to Justice Project

Thanks to the generous support of its Fellows and donors, the MBF recently awarded a special grant of $20,000 to the Justice George Lewis Ruffin Society, affiliated with Northeastern University’s School of Criminal Justice and Criminology, for a new phase of its Long Road to Justice projects.

Since 2018, Long Road to Justice: The African American Experience in the Massachusetts Courts has been installed at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse. The exhibit seeks to educate the viewer about the struggles, sacrifices and successes of African Americans in seeking justice in Massachusetts. Spanning for over 300 years, the exhibit begins with enslaved people who went to court to seek their freedom. The MBF was a proud supporter of the installation of this permanent exhibit.

The exhibit provides the framework for the latest project: Long Road to Justice: Black Changemakers in MA Past, Present, Future. Comprised of a documentary film and teachers’ resource guide, this exciting educational initiative is designed for middle and high schools across the Commonwealth. Black Changemakers, which is aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Education’s History and Social Science Framework, introduces young audiences to men and women who, over a span of three centuries, took enormous personal risk to seek justice and equality. Visually rich storytelling of historical and current events will help young audiences make connections between social justice movements throughout the state, discover the relevance of these connections to their own lives, and see themselves in the lineage of changemakers. The stories feature individuals and events that are too important to remain unknown, including Mum Bett, Sarah Roberts, Robert Morris, Ruth Batson, and the Freedom Schools.

A companion curriculum and teacher resource guide will offer students the opportunity for dialogue with their peers about racial and social injustice. These conversations, in addition to awareness of Black history, are deemed essential to break down complex racial barriers. It is also the hope that this project will create a spark for students of color to consider careers in the Massachusetts justice system.

Black Changemakers is currently in development and will be available for distribution to middle and high schools throughout Massachusetts for the 2022-2023 school years.  

For information about how your firm or organization can support this endeavor and how schools can have access to the project, please contact Long Road to Justice Executive Director Susan Goodman. To learn more about the Long Road to Justice: the African American Experience in the Massachusetts Courts exhibit, visit www.longroadtojustice.org.