Where Freedom Lives: How Ahmad Ward and Historic Mitchelville Are Inspiring the Next Generation to Reimagine History

There’s a strange irony in the way we teach freedom in America. We talk about it as if it were an artifact – something fixed and finished, sealed behind glass. But history isn’t static. It’s alive, and for the next generation, it’s personal.

On Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park (HMFP) stands as a living monument to that truth. Once the first self-governed town of formerly enslaved people in the United States, this place was where newly freed men and women built homes, elected leaders, and educated their children, all before the Emancipation Proclamation was even issued. Today, under the leadership of Executive Director Ahmad Ward, Mitchelville has become more than a preserved site. It’s a conversation – between generations, between technology and tradition, and between what America was and what it could still become.

“While older generations tend to preserve history, Gen Z is pushing us to reimagine it… one story, one action, one truth at a time,” Ward says.

The Curiosity of a New Generation 

Walk through the park on any school day and you’ll hear the sounds of learning: laughter, footsteps on sandy paths, the rustle of marsh grass. You’ll also find interpretive panels and QR codes alongside reconstructed cabins and garden plots. Ward understands something vital; today’s young people learn through experience and immersion, not lectures and plaques.

“History becomes real when you can stand where it happened,” he says. “You have to see it, feel it.”

Mitchelville’s programs do exactly that. From Griot’s Corner, a literacy initiative for K–3 students inspired by the storytelling traditions of West Africa, to its History Hike for middle schoolers, the park offers what Ward calls “edutainment” – education wrapped in engagement. “We’re sneaking the vegetables into the lasagna,” he jokes.

One of their most impactful programs featured a traveling Harriet Tubman statue, connecting students to her legacy through scavenger-like field activities and reflection exercises. “You could see the light bulbs go off,” Ward says. “When kids realize Tubman stood on this ground, that’s when history stops being abstract and starts being personal.”

Bridging the Generations 

Still, Ward is careful not to let technology eclipse the power of presence. “We’re building digital tools to enhance the experience, not replace it,” he says. Through a partnership with North Carolina State University’s design and technology program, the park is developing an augmented reality experience that allows visitors to see historical figures, like Tubman or Frederick Douglass, come to life through interactive storytelling.

Yet even as Mitchelville embraces modern storytelling, it remains committed to physical connection. “We want people to come to the park,” Ward insists. “Touch the grass. Stand where freedom was first practiced.”

That balance between innovation and authenticity is part of what makes Mitchelville’s impact so distinct. Older visitors come for reflection; younger ones come for discovery. Together, they create what Ward calls “a brave space,” where people can talk honestly about the past and its implications for today.

“When we finish building our Archaeological Research Facility and Auditorium, it’ll be a place for dialogue,” Ward says. “Not just safe conversations, but brave ones. That’s what the people of Mitchelville did. They built community by talking through hard things.”

Redefining Citizenship Through Freedom 

For Ward, Mitchelville isn’t just a site of remembrance; it’s a lesson in citizenship. Not the kind you memorize from textbooks, but the kind you practice daily.

“Our tenets are freedom, democracy, citizenship, and opportunity,” he says. “We all understand what those feel like.”

Through programs like MAGIC – Modeling Our Ancestors to Generate Influence and Change – Mitchelville trains students to become docents and ambassadors. The goal is to cultivate leaders who understand the legacy of self-determination that began here. “We want young people to see themselves as part of this continuum,” Ward says. “That’s what the original citizens of Mitchelville did; they took ownership of their freedom.”

Ward envisions a future where the park becomes a civic hub for intergenerational dialogue, where schoolchildren, elders, and families from all backgrounds can discuss what freedom means now. “We’ve made a conscious effort to make everyone feel they belong here,” he adds. “That means bilingual programs, community events, and opportunities for every family to connect.”

He pauses and smiles. “People sometimes call that pandering. I call it common sense. If you know 30% of your community speaks Spanish, why wouldn’t you make sure they’re included? Everyone deserves to see themselves in this story.”

History, Unfiltered 

In an era when debates about how history should be taught have become deeply politicized, Ward is resolute. “It’s a non-negotiable for us,” he says. “We tell the story that’s true – backed by evidence, rooted in reality. Mitchelville’s story is positive, but it begins in the context of one of humanity’s greatest atrocities. We don’t sugarcoat that.”

He knows this stance can invite discomfort. “If there’s a problem with us talking about what happened, then there’s a deeper problem,” he says. “We’re not here to start fires, but we’re not moving away from the heat either.”

That candor is part of why Ward has become one of the most respected voices in cultural preservation today. Under his leadership, Mitchelville doesn’t just recount the past; it challenges people to consider how freedom, equity, and citizenship look in their own lives.

Freedom Forward 

Despite the challenges of teaching history in a digital-first, divided world, Ward remains hopeful. He sees it in the faces of students who visit the park, in their questions, and in their curiosity.

“I think young people are more curious than we give them credit for,” he says. “They’re asking, ‘Why didn’t I know this before?’ That’s the spark. Once they start digging, the truth takes root.”

That is the ultimate power of Mitchelville. It reminds us that freedom is not just inherited. It’s practiced, examined, and renewed.

“The stories we tell today are the truths of tomorrow,” Ward says. “It’s up to us to keep them alive, to pass them forward, and to ensure the freedom we fight for today becomes the legacy we leave for the future.”