Charles Barkley, along with leading education technology provider EVERFI, Inc., recently announced a partnership to power a new African-American history initiative for high school students throughout the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
The course will engage tens of thousands of students in the Mississippi Delta region, which includes Barkley’s hometown of Leeds, Alabama, all at no cost to students, their schools or school districts.
Barkley’s production company Round Mound Media will also create short-form filmed documentary content for the 306 course, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based creative and production agency Wondros, designed for students to further explore key moments and topics specific to their states, beginning with Alabama.
“I was born and raised in rural Alabama at the dawn of the Civil Rights era, and I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to American heroes like Medgar Evers, John Lewis, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ,” said Barkley. “Every child in my home state should have the keys to knowledge of their history so they can achieve great things in their own lives. This initiative helps accomplish that.”
The 306: African-American History digital course immerses students in a journey in which they learn about the incredible contributions that African-Americans have made in every fabric of American life including public service, the sciences, academia, and the world of the arts, music, and sports. The course is framed to teach the importance of civic engagement so that students develop into future community leaders.
“Even in today’s advanced technological world, it’s rare that teachers have the adequate tools to bring to life the stories of pride, perseverance, and leadership that are so prevalent throughout African-American history,” said EVERFI CEO Tom Davidson. “We’re incredibly excited to work with Charles to offer this digital initiative that makes African-American history readily accessible and allows students in the Mississippi Delta to reimagine how they see themselves through the lens of history.”
