Black Belt in Freedom

A Mentored Founding Fathers-Style Study Program with Oliver DeMille

For more information and details view the dedicated information page here.

Freedom is not preserved by concern alone.

It must be understood.

Black Belt in Freedom is a self-paced intensive, progressive freedom study program with Oliver DeMille designed for serious learners who want to go deep into the principles, documents, classics, and historical patterns of liberty.

This is not a casual current events course.

It is a mentored path for adults, parents, youth, families, and freedom-minded leaders who want to study freedom with the depth, discipline, and seriousness it deserves. Participants begin with foundational readings and mentoring audios, then progress month by month through major freedom texts, founding documents, political classics, constitutional principles, and advanced studies in self-government.

Why This Program Matters

The central challenge of our time is not a lack of information.

It is a lack of education suited to freedom.

We live in an age where anyone can find opinions, headlines, summaries, and political arguments in seconds. But freedom requires more than access to content. It requires judgment, discernment, historical understanding, moral clarity, and the ability to recognize the difference between real liberty and counterfeit solutions.

Black Belt in Freedom is designed to help participants develop that kind of depth.

Through classic readings, Oliver DeMille’s mentoring audios, family or group discussion, and an online forum moderated by TJEd Mentors, students build a principled foundation for understanding freedom—not as a slogan, but as a way of thinking, living, leading, and preserving civilization.

How It Works

Each month, participants complete assigned readings, listen to mentoring audios specific to that month’s titles, and discuss the material with family, a book group, and/or the online forum.

Most months include two audios, though some may include as many as four or more at the mentor’s discretion.

The course is progressive, meaning each month builds on the previous ones. Everyone begins with Month One and proceeds through the sequence in order.

Each month follows this pattern:

Complete the assigned readings
Listen to the mentoring audios for those titles
Discuss the ideas with family, a book group, or the online forum
Continue building a deeper, more connected understanding of freedom

The course also includes an embedded online forum moderated by TJEd Mentors.

After completion of the Black Belt in Freedom sequence, the subscription continues automatically into Ambassador of Freedom Levels I and II, advanced continuation programs described below.

Course Outline

Yellow Level

Month 1 We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident by Oliver DeMille + Audios Bonus: Turn the Page by Chris Brady et al. + Audios

Month 2 The Law by Frédéric Bastiat + Audios Bonus: The Declaration of Independence + Audios

Orange Level

Month 3 The 5,000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen + Audios

Month 4 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom by Oliver DeMille, Introduction–Chapter 1 + Audios The Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy + Audios

Green Level

Month 5 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 2 + Audios The Spirit of the Laws by Montesquieu + Audios

Month 6 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 3 + Audios Commentaries on the Laws of England, Introduction to Book I, by William Blackstone + Audios

Blue Level

Month 7 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 4 + Audios A Letter on Toleration by John Locke + Audios Two Treatises of Government by John Locke + Audios

Month 8 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 5 + Audios Essays Moral, Political and Literary by David Hume + Audios

Month 9 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 6 + Audios Lives by Plutarch + Audios

Purple Level

Month 10 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 7 + Audio LeaderShift by Orrin Woodward and Oliver DeMille + Audio

Month 11 The U.S. Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom, Chapter 8 + Audios And Justice for All by Orrin Woodward + Audios

Month 12 1913 by Oliver DeMille + Audios

Brown Level

Month 13 The Coming Aristocracy by Oliver DeMille + Audios

Month 14 Freedom Matters! by Oliver DeMille + Audios

Month 15 Uncommon Sense by Stephen Palmer + Audios

Month 16 FreedomShift by Oliver DeMille + Audios

Black Level

Month 17 The Federalist, first half + Audios

Month 18 The Federalist, second half + Audios

Month 19 Democracy in America, Volume 1, by Alexis de Tocqueville + Audios

Month 20 Democracy in America, Volume 2, by Alexis de Tocqueville + Audios

Optional Final In-Person Examination

Participants may schedule and complete an optional final in-person examination covering the Black Belt in Freedom studies. The exam is chaired by Oliver DeMille.

One-time examination fee: $600

Participants should only schedule the examination when they are well prepared. Travel and housing costs are the responsibility of the participant. Those who do not pass will receive an individualized study plan before retaking the exam.

Ambassador of Freedom: First Degree

After completing Black Belt in Freedom, participants continue into Ambassador of Freedom, First Degree, an advanced intensive freedom study program.

This continuation is designed for those who want to pursue a deeper Founding Fathers-style education and prepare to become serious freedom leaders in the 21st century.

There are no credits, grades, or academic credentials. The purpose is deep learning, serious mentoring, and mastery of freedom principles.

First Degree Study Includes

Aristotle’s Politics
Skousen’s The Making of America
Tucker’s View of the Constitution of the United States
Sandoz’s Political Sermons of the American Founding Era
Bobbitt’s The Shield of Achilles
Strauss and Howe’s The Fourth Turning
Ebenstein’s Great Political Thinkers
Bryce’s The American Commonwealth
Carey’s Political Writings of John Adams
American political writings from the Founding Era
The works of James Wilson
Political thinkers from Hegel and Marx to Hayek and Mises
DeMille’s Free Enterprise vs. Capitalism
Brady’s SPLASH

An optional in-person comprehensive oral examination is available for this level.

One-time advanced examination fee: $900

Ambassador of Freedom: Second Degree

Participants who complete Ambassador of Freedom First Degree may continue into Ambassador of Freedom, Second Degree, the top-level intensive advanced study program.

This level focuses heavily on The Founders’ Constitution and the collected writings of Thomas Jefferson.

Second Degree Study Includes

The Founders’ Constitution, Volumes 1–5
The Collected Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Volumes 1–20
Mentoring audios for each section

An optional in-person comprehensive oral examination is available after completion of the full sequence.

One-time advanced examination fee: $1,400

Who This Program Is For

Black Belt in Freedom is ideal for:

Adults who want serious freedom education
Parents and mentors teaching youth about liberty
Scholar Phase and Depth Phase learners
Families studying the Constitution and Founding principles
Readers of Oliver DeMille’s freedom books
Citizens who want principle-based understanding rather than partisan reaction
Youth and adults ready for disciplined reading and discussion
Future community, family, and freedom leaders

Closing Description

Black Belt in Freedom is a rare and serious path for those who want to understand freedom deeply.

It brings together classics, Founding documents, constitutional principles, Natural Law, economics, statesmanship, political theory, and mentored discussion in a progressive learning sequence.

This program is for those who feel the weight of the times and want to prepare without panic.

Because freedom is not preserved by outrage.

It is preserved by self-governed people who understand it, live it, teach it, and lead with wisdom.

Go deep in freedom with a mentored Founding Fathers-style study program designed for serious learners, families, and future freedom leaders.