The Historical Impact of Freedom Schools (ft. Dr. Kristal Moore Clemons)

Dr. Kristal Moore Clemons has advanced racial and gender equity through her work in K-12 education, higher education, and nonprofit management. In her academic leadership, she has shaped curriculum and fostered positive academic experiences in face-to-face and online environments. She is the national director of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® program. This program uses culturally relevant pedagogy and high-quality books to deepen scholars’ understanding of themselves and all they have in common with others in a multiracial, multicultural democratic society. Dr. Clemons is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a graduate of DePaul University having earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies and Political Science. She earned an M.A. from Washington State University in American Studies, her PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Education-Culture, Curriculum and Change and a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies from Duke University. She and her partner reside in Virginia with their children.