The Gatekeepers of Freedom – Presented by Diana Koppen

Local teacher and author will discuss her relative and Iowa born teacher, Marion Helland’s, lifelong commitment to community justice. In 1965, Marion responded to an ad “Teachers WANTED to Teach FREEDOM” and migrated to the segregated American South to help instill in her Black students the power of reading as books were their gatekeepers of freedom. There she began her journey into Civil Rights—alongside mentors Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Andrew Young Jr., Rev. Joseph Lowery, and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. Call 712-580-7290 for more information.