Memphis 13 Foundation

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Memphis 13 Foundation A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization honoring the legacy of the Memphis 13. https://to.pbs.org/3EimBkV

History stops being something that happened to someone else. It becomes something they are capable of. There is somethin...
08/21/2026

History stops being something that happened to someone else. It becomes something they are capable of.

There is something powerful that happens when a child discovers that the people who helped change their city were children, too.

The Memphis 13 were only five and six years old when they desegregated Memphis public schools in 1961.

Their story reminds us that courage doesn't always look the way we expect it to.

Sometimes it carries a schoolbook.
Sometimes it walks into a first-grade classroom.

And sometimes, simply by learning that story, another child begins to imagine what might be possible in their own life and community.

That's why we continue to tell it.

❤️ Lead with your heart. Choose to be kind on purpose.

History is more than what happened. It's how it was lived.As the Memphis 13 Foundation approaches the 65th Anniversary o...
08/19/2026

History is more than what happened. It's how it was lived.

As the Memphis 13 Foundation approaches the 65th Anniversary of the desegregation of Memphis public schools, we're undertaking the planning and development work for a major exhibition intended to be anchored at the National Civil Rights Museum.

The exhibition will center the lived experience of desegregation.

What did profound change feel like for children walking into newly desegregated schools?

For their families?
For educators?
For a city navigating a new reality?

Through historical materials, film, community perspectives, and creative interpretation, our goal is to preserve more than dates and events. We want to help people understand the human experience behind them.

Right now, that means doing the careful work first: researching, listening, planning, and considering how these stories can be interpreted responsibly.

Because preserving history isn't only about remembering what happened.
It's about honoring the people who lived it. ❤️🤎🖤

**Coming this fall: Memphis 13: Change Agents**What happens when children don't simply read about history, but have an o...
08/13/2026

**Coming this fall: Memphis 13: Change Agents**

What happens when children don't simply read about history, but have an opportunity to engage with the people who lived it?

Beginning this September, the Memphis 13 Foundation plans to launch the first cycle of *Memphis 13: Change Agents – Nurturing Young Scholars with Heart*, a Community Library Initiative for 4th- and 5th-grade students.

Hosted at Memphis Public Library branches, the program will combine history, film, conversation, creativity, and direct engagement with living members of the Memphis 13.

Young scholars will explore the Memphis 13 story, participate in facilitated conversations, and create original artwork and posters imagining a kinder world.

At the heart of the initiative is a powerful idea:

*Children don't just learn history. They sit with it.*

The Memphis 13 were only five and six years old when they helped change a city. By connecting today's young people with that history, we hope they begin to recognize their own capacity for kindness, courage, leadership, and positive change.

We're excited to share more as we prepare to bring *Memphis 13: Change Agents* to life this fall.

Follow the Memphis 13 Foundation for updates as the first cycle begins.

Did you know?In 1961, thirteen children, only five and six years old, helped desegregate Memphis public schools.They wer...
08/10/2026

Did you know?

In 1961, thirteen children, only five and six years old, helped desegregate Memphis public schools.

They were first graders.

At an age when most children are simply learning how to navigate a new classroom, these thirteen young students became part of a profound moment of change in Memphis.

Today, we know them as The Memphis 13.

Their story offers a powerful reminder that history is not only made by the people whose names appear most often in textbooks. It is also made by children, families, educators, and communities whose courage helps move us forward.

Nearly 65 years later, the Memphis 13 Foundation is committed to ensuring their experiences remain part of our city's living history and continue to educate future generations.

Were you familiar with the story of the Memphis 13 before following our work? We'd love to hear from you in the comments.

Kindness changes more than a moment. It can change a community.When the Memphis 13 walked into newly desegregated school...
08/05/2026

Kindness changes more than a moment. It can change a community.

When the Memphis 13 walked into newly desegregated schools in 1961, they demonstrated extraordinary courage at just five and six years old. Their story reminds us that leadership doesn't always begin with power or position, it often begins with character.

Today, we encourage students to see kindness as more than good manners. Kindness is empathy in action. It is choosing to listen, to include, to stand up for others, and to lead with compassion.

Every classroom conversation, every shared story, and every act of understanding helps build the kind of community we all want to leave for the next generation.

Because history doesn't just teach us what happened.

It teaches us who we can become.

18,000+ students. Thousands of conversations. One powerful story that continues to shape the future.The Memphis 13 Found...
07/30/2026

18,000+ students. Thousands of conversations. One powerful story that continues to shape the future.

The Memphis 13 Foundation is proud to share that our curriculum has now reached more than 18,000 students across Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

By bringing the story of the Memphis 13 into 2nd and 5th grade classrooms, students aren't simply learning about history, they're discovering that children their own age helped change the course of a city.

This work is only possible because of our dedicated educators. Alongside curriculum implementation, we've provided professional development for more than 750 teachers, equipping them with the tools and confidence to facilitate meaningful, age-appropriate conversations about history, empathy, leadership, and civic responsibility.

As we prepare for the Memphis 13's 65th Anniversary, we're committed to expanding this work so even more students, educators, and communities can learn from a story that continues to inspire new generations.

Every student reached is another opportunity to preserve history and help shape the future.

Learn more: https://www.M13F.org

When people gather to watch The Memphis 13, something meaningful happens.The film tells the story of thirteen courageous...
07/28/2026

When people gather to watch The Memphis 13, something meaningful happens.

The film tells the story of thirteen courageous children who changed Memphis forever. But the conversations that follow remind us that history is not confined to the past, it continues to shape our communities today.

Our Look Back. Launch Forward. initiative brings together neighbors, educators, students, families, and community leaders to reflect, ask questions, and learn from one another.

Every screening is an opportunity to preserve history, strengthen understanding, and inspire the next generation of change makers.

Because history isn't meant to stay on the screen.

It's meant to spark conversations, build connections, and encourage us all to move forward together.

Interested in bringing a Memphis 13 community screening to your school, organization, or community? We'd love to connect. 🤎❤️🖤

📷 Photo from a screening of the Memphis 13 Documentary at Temple Israel in Memphis

Our Mission in ActionEverything we do at the Memphis 13 Foundation is rooted in four guiding pillars that shape how we p...
07/21/2026

Our Mission in Action

Everything we do at the Memphis 13 Foundation is rooted in four guiding pillars that shape how we preserve history, educate future generations, and strengthen our community.

🤎 EMPOWER students through education.

❤️ ENGAGE communities through meaningful conversation.

📚 ENLIGHTEN through storytelling that connects the past with the present.

🏛️EXHIBIT history in ways that inspire reflection, understanding, and hope.

These pillars guide every curriculum, community conversation, documentary, exhibition, and partnership we create as we prepare to commemorate the Memphis 13's 65th Anniversary.

We believe history is most powerful when it brings people together, and when it inspires each of us to make a difference in our own communities.

Which of these four pillars speaks to you? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Thank you for being part of this journey as we honor the past and help shape the future.

The Story Begins. Sixty-five years ago, thirteen five- and six-year-old children quietly changed the course of Memphis h...
07/17/2026

The Story Begins.
Sixty-five years ago, thirteen five- and six-year-old children quietly changed the course of Memphis history.

Their names may not appear in every history book, but their courage continues to inspire classrooms, communities, and conversations across our city.

As we prepare to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the Memphis 13 this October, we'll be sharing stories, milestones, and new initiatives that ensure this history continues to educate and inspire future generations.

History isn't just something we remember.
It's something we carry forward.

06/30/2026

Reflections on Representative G.A. Hardaway

When I think of G.A., I think of someone who was fully present in the moment with all of himself—his attention, his energy, his spirit. He had a remarkable ability to fill every moment with purpose, kindness, and genuine attention. And because he was so fully present, the people around him became more present as well. You felt seen. You felt heard. You felt that what you were saying and who you were mattered.

For the Memphis 13 Foundation, G.A. was one of our earliest champions.

In February 2022, shortly after the Foundation officially became a nonprofit organization, G.A. called me early one morning to discuss sponsoring a resolution honoring the Memphis 13 before the Tennessee General Assembly. A few weeks later, several Memphis 13 pioneers traveled to Nashville and were recognized at the State Capitol.

Looking back, I realize that the recognition itself was important, but what followed may have been even more meaningful. G.A. opened doors. He introduced us to people who believed in our story and our mission and helped plant seeds in rich soil at a critical moment in our organization's growth.

His support continued through the years. He joined us at the unveiling of the mural at Rozelle Elementary School, a place that held special meaning for him as a former student. That was who G.A. was. He showed up—for his community, for causes he believed in, and for the people whose lives he touched.

One of my favorite memories of G.A. has nothing to do with politics or public office. A few days before Christmas, a group of Central High School alumni gathered for a holiday celebration. I almost didn't go, but I ended up sharing a ride there and back with G.A. During those rides, we talked, laughed, reflected on old memories, and spoke about the future. At the time, it felt like an ordinary evening. Now I realize it was a gift. None of us know when we are spending our last moments with someone we care about, and I am deeply grateful for that time together.

Representative G.A. Hardaway will be remembered for his leadership, service, and commitment to creating a better world. I will remember his presence. I will remember the way he made people feel valued. I will remember the way he opened doors and encouraged others to walk through them.

He will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched, the opportunities he created, and the work that so many of us will continue to carry forward. Today, his spirit lives on in everything we collectively choose to do for one another.

We will miss him. We will smile when we remember him. We will tear up sometimes when we think about him. And we will love him fiercely, always grateful that our paths crossed.

~ Dwania Kyles

This video was taken during the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators Annual Awards Gala in 2023. Before introducing remarks from Reverend Jesse Jackson, G.A. paused to recognize the Memphis 13, and invited me to join him on stage.

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3641 Central Ave
Memphis, TN
38111

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