Andrew Goodman Foundation

The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) was established in 1966 by Robert and Carolyn Goodman to carry on the spirit and the purpose of their son’s life. Andrew Goodman was a 20-year-old Queens College sophomore whose life was taken from him for acting on what he believed. Along with two other young civil rights activists, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, Goodman was murdered in Mississippi in 1964 while attempting to register African-Americans to vote.

The Center for Political Participation (CPP) at Allegheny College initiated the partnership with the Andrew Goodman Foundation in the fall of 2014 to tie in with the college’s annual theme, the “Year of Civil Rights” which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and Freedom Summer 1964.

Several activities took place in 2014 including the selection of two Allegheny students as AGF Vote Everywhere Ambassadors for 2015.  These students completed a year-long paid internship with the Andrew Goodman Foundation on Allegheny’s campus.  Also, the CPP partnered with Andrew Goodman Foundation and hosted a community watch party to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer 1964 at the Hidden Heroes Awards.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation empowers the next generation to initiate and sustain creative and effective social action and enables leaders and their communities to flourish by operating and investing in programs that advance civic engagement and intergenerational coalitions.

Assistant Professor Andrew Bloeser is currently the faculty advisor for this organization. Click here for the list of current student ambassadors.