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Penn State College of Arts and Architecture
Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State

Event Slides Per Node 1415

  • A boy watches two people holding protest signs that read “Love Your Neighbor” and “Children March Too.”
  • A man depicting a Black president speaks from a podium while a boy watches with admiration.
  • A boy stands in front of a screen featuring an illustration of his neighborhood.
  • A boy is surrounded by circle images depicting hearts and thumbs ups.
  • A boy standing in a room with walls covered with fan posters points his finger and makes an exclamatory facial expression.

Virtual presentation
Holden & Arts Associates
presents
Jabari Dreams of Freedom
Written by Nambi E. Kelley
Directed by Daniel Carlton

8:00 am Monday, November 7, 2022
Virtual event

Stream access: Monday, November 7, 2022–Friday, November 18, 2022

Register by Thursday, November 3, for free access to Jabari Dreams of Freedom.

Jabari Dreams of Freedom tells the story of a young Black boy, from the South Side of Chicago, who loves to paint. Through painting, he can escape the turbulent world around him. When a friend is hurt by police, Jabari is afraid to leave the house. With his Forever President Barack Obama as a guide, Jabari dreams he meets children from the Civil Rights Era, including Ruby Bridges, Claudette Colvin, and a 6-year-old Barack Obama on the eve of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Can Jabari use the lessons he’s learned to instill in young Barack the ideas he’ll need to become president? Will Jabari take those lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using history, rap, freedom songs, and humor, this play explores what it means to have courage in a world where Black children — Black boys — are not safe.

Suggested Grades: 
Three through twelve
Key Learning Areas: 
Oral history; civil rights movement
PA Academic Standards: 
Arts and humanities; English language arts; history; social studies; civics and government; family and consumer sciences
Social Justice Standards: 
Identity, diversity, justice, action
social emotional learning


support provided by
McQuaide Blasko Endowment

Artist Websites:
Jabari Dreams of Freedom
Holden & Arts Associates


Watch a Jabari Dreams of Freedom trailer from Holden & Arts Associates on Vimeo.