Where Faith Meets Freedom: Jesus, the Cross, and Liberation

In observance of Black History Month, the NAACP Vancouver Chapter 1139-B and the Clark County Historical Museum invite the community to a facilitated conversation: Where Faith Meets Freedom: Jesus, the Cross, and Liberation.
 
This free public program centers on two foundational works of Black theology: The Cross and the Lynching Tree by the Rev. Dr. James H. Cone and Jesus and the Disinherited by the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman. Both titles are part of the NAACP and Clark County Historical Museum’s joint reading list and offer powerful frameworks for understanding faith as a force for dignity, resistance, and liberation.
 
Together, these texts confront the enduring realities of racial violence, oppression, and suffering while affirming the spiritual strength that emerges from struggle. Cone draws a direct connection between the crucifixion of Jesus and the history of lynching in America, urging readers to understand the cross through the lived experiences of Black suffering and survival. Thurman speaks to those pushed to the margins, presenting Jesus as a source of courage, nonviolence, and hope for those whose backs are against the wall.
 
The conversation will be guided by local faith and community leaders, including Rev. Michael Jones Jr., Vice President of the NAACP Vancouver Chapter; Rev. Dr. Joyce Smith, Pastor of Community AME Zion Church in Vancouver; and Pastor Byron Harris of Vancouver Heights United Methodist Church. Together with attendees, the panel will explore how these works speak to one another, where faith and freedom intersect, and why their messages remain deeply relevant today—personally, spiritually, and socially.
 
Registration is recommended, as space is limited. This event is free and open to the public. More information at www.cchmuseum.org.
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Organizer:
Rev. Michael Jones Jr.
Vice President, NAACP Vancouver Chapter
vicepresident@naacpvancouverwa.org