Muriel Snowden (1916-1988) and her husband, Otto, started Freedom House as a community center for Roxbury. In 2022 Freedom House moved to 5 Crawford Street (see above). The original building at 14Crawford (see below) was demolished in 2024. Known for her love of reading and public speaking, Snowden’s favorite color was blue, and she enjoyed chicken and strawberries. She made history as the first African American woman director at Shawmut Bank and was awarded a MacArthur Genius Award for her impactful work in the community. The couple had one daughter. Snowden believed in the power of individual effort to effect change and was known for her efficiency and dedication. Ellen Swepson Jackson (1935-2005) was the founding director of the Freedom House Institute of Schools and Education and the visionary behind Operation Exodus, a program that bussed inner-city students to less crowded schools. Jackson was educated at Boston State Teacher’s College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. She served as a dean and director of affirmative action at Northeastern University until her retirement in 1998. An activist at both local and national levels, Jackson received numerous awards for her lifelong dedication to civil rights. The Ellen Jackson Day Care Center was named in her honor.
