Freedom’s Inheritance During America250: Celia Adams and the Long Struggle for Constitutional Belonging

Description

Dr. Jesse J. Hargrove is a retired educator, historian, poet, and public
scholar whose work explores African American historical memory,
constitutional belonging, and intergenerational narratives rooted
in family history. After more than 45 years in education, he retired in
2025 following 26 years at Philander Smith University in Little Rock,
Arkansas, where he served as a tenured Associate Professor of Spanish
and Art and as an administrator. During his tenure, he taught courses
in Spanish language, art, and social justice while mentoring students
and encouraging them to develop critical intellectual frameworks for
understanding history, culture, and civic responsibility.