History of Black Communities & Townships in the US

Join us for a presentation by Mr. Arkee Hodges on African-American self-governing communities. Discover how and why these communities were built; how these communities were governed; the use of mutual assistance; and how the concept of cooperative economics was used to sustain communities.

Arkee Hodges is a historian, educator, entrepreneur, and visionary leader. He is the Founder and President of the Black Achievement Fund as well as the Founder and President of Education for Life Academy (EFLA).  EFLA offers an online African history curriculum that begins with the origins of humanity in Africa 200,000 years ago - not slavery. EFLA also offers onsite classes in Black history for middle and high school students.  Mr. Hodges was a professor at John Jay College for Criminal Justice at New York City College of Technology where he taught the courses: Race and Ethnicity in America, the African American Experience, and the Sociology of Urban Poverty. In addition, Mr. Hodges served as the inaugural Director of the Children's Aid Society's (CAS) African American Male Initiative (AAMI), a groundbreaking academic and mentoring program for boys in Harlem. He has also worked with several New York City-based nonprofit organizations including the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – the largest repository of Black arts and letters in the world, and Echoing Green – the premier seed funder for social entrepreneurs devoted to social change. Mr. Hodges received a B.A. in African-American Studies from the University of Virginia, and a M.P.S. in Africana Studies from Cornell University. Outside of his professional experience, Mr. Hodges enjoys traveling, real estate investing, and horticulture.