Brittni Jennings

Brittni Jennings is a dedicated Philadelphia educator and advocate for student voice. Her work has earned her the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Changing Lives Award, and, most recently, the 2023 David McCullough Prize for Excellence in Public History. Jennings’ impact reaches far beyond the classroom. Through her work with the National Constitution Center, she has authored curricula and led workshops that help teachers and students navigate difficult conversations at the local and national level—including a unique program that facilitates dialogue between local youth and police officers. At Constitution High School, Jennings served as a Race and Equity lead, supporting students in designing their own learning. Her self-curated courses utilized a “futurist lens” to explore the Black American experience, empowering students to lead professional development for the school’s own staff.

With a Master’s in Urban Education, Jennings is currently extending her educational practices beyond the classroom walls through her co-curated street art project Afromation Avenue. This co-curated initiative installs positive affirmation signs in historically Black neighborhoods, celebrating the nuance in the American story. For Jennings, “person-first” learning is the only way to build both a wealth of knowledge and a wealth of character.