4 Women of the Civil Rights Movement
When we think of the Civil Rights Movement, it is not uncommon to think of men such as Martin Luther King Jr., Bayard Rustin or A. Philip Randolph. King, Rustin and Randolph were all important to developing events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington.
Yet, it was the work of women in the Civil Rights Movement--as grassroots organizers--that enabled these men to stand in the spotlight.
Ella Baker's work as a civil rights activist might not have been as prominent as King, but her efforts were just as important. As a professional grassroots organizer,Baker supported local branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and worked behind the scenes to establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Through her work, Baker also mentored college students through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). All of Baker's efforts helped the Civil Rights Movement progress successfully. As a tireless fighter for social equality, Baker often said, "This may only be a dream of mine, but I think it can be made real."More »
Septima Poinsette Clark was known as the "Queen Mother" or “Grandmother of the American Civil Rights Movement.” As an educator and civil rights activist, Clark believed that “knowledge could empower marginalized groups in ways that formal legal equality couldn’t.”
Clark helped to establish citizenship schools. These schools were established to help African-American adults learn the skills necessary to pass the literacy tests that often barred them from voting. Beginning in the back of a storefront in 1954 on St. John's Island, citizenship schools soon spread throughout the south.
Clark served as the director of more than 800 citizenship schools throughout the South. One of Clark's most famous students was Rosa Parks. Parks was so inspired by the concepts learned at the citizenship workshops that she returned home and refused to give up her seat on a segregated public bus. Parks’ actions started the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
In 1954, Rosa Parks, a seamstress from Montgomery, Ala. participated in a citizenship school workshop. Parks became so inspired by the concepts learned that she returned home and refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus. As a result, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began.
Of this experience, Parks once said, "When people made up their minds that they wanted to be free and took action, then there was change. But they couldn't rest on just that change. It has to continue." Parks words encapsulate her work as a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and she is known as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement."
Yet Parks always credits the work of Clark and the lessons she learned as a student in citizenship schools for her courage, saying, "I only hope that there is a possible chance that some of Septima's great courage and dignity and wisdom has rubbed off on me."More »
Voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer is most famous for her phrase"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired;" But Hamer's involvement in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Hamer became active in civil rights in the 1950s when she attended Regional Council of Negro Leadership conferences.
On August 23, 1962 Reverend James Bevel, a local organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) delivered a sermon to persuade listeners to register to vote. After hearing this sermon, Hamer knew she needed to fight for her rights and inspire others to do the same. Within a week, Hamer was travelling through the south singing spirituals and gospel songs to inspire Freedom Riders. The following summer she participated in
By August 31, Hamer was traveling on a bus with other activists to Indianola, Miss to register as voters. To encourage other participants, Hamer began singing songs such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and "This Little Light of Mine." As a result of Hamer's singing, she was asked by civil rights leaders to travel throughout the South, as a grassroots worker and organizer. She participated as Freedom Democrat at the National Democratic Convention in 1964 and she continued to pursue local and regional civil rights issues.
She was made a member of Mississippi's delegation to the Democratic National Convention of 1968. Hamer used her position as a delegate to speak out against the Vietnam War.
In Mississippi, Hamer helped establish Head Start programs and King's Poor People's Campaign.More »
Yet, it was the work of women in the Civil Rights Movement--as grassroots organizers--that enabled these men to stand in the spotlight.
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1. Ella Baker (1903 - 1986)
Ella Baker's work as a civil rights activist might not have been as prominent as King, but her efforts were just as important. As a professional grassroots organizer,Baker supported local branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and worked behind the scenes to establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Through her work, Baker also mentored college students through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). All of Baker's efforts helped the Civil Rights Movement progress successfully. As a tireless fighter for social equality, Baker often said, "This may only be a dream of mine, but I think it can be made real."More »
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2. Septima Clark (1898 - 1987)
Septima Poinsette Clark was known as the "Queen Mother" or “Grandmother of the American Civil Rights Movement.” As an educator and civil rights activist, Clark believed that “knowledge could empower marginalized groups in ways that formal legal equality couldn’t.”
Clark helped to establish citizenship schools. These schools were established to help African-American adults learn the skills necessary to pass the literacy tests that often barred them from voting. Beginning in the back of a storefront in 1954 on St. John's Island, citizenship schools soon spread throughout the south.
Clark served as the director of more than 800 citizenship schools throughout the South. One of Clark's most famous students was Rosa Parks. Parks was so inspired by the concepts learned at the citizenship workshops that she returned home and refused to give up her seat on a segregated public bus. Parks’ actions started the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
3. Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
In 1954, Rosa Parks, a seamstress from Montgomery, Ala. participated in a citizenship school workshop. Parks became so inspired by the concepts learned that she returned home and refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus. As a result, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began.
Of this experience, Parks once said, "When people made up their minds that they wanted to be free and took action, then there was change. But they couldn't rest on just that change. It has to continue." Parks words encapsulate her work as a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and she is known as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement."
Yet Parks always credits the work of Clark and the lessons she learned as a student in citizenship schools for her courage, saying, "I only hope that there is a possible chance that some of Septima's great courage and dignity and wisdom has rubbed off on me."More »
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4. Fannie Lou Hamer (1917 - 1977)
Voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer is most famous for her phrase"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired;" But Hamer's involvement in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Hamer became active in civil rights in the 1950s when she attended Regional Council of Negro Leadership conferences.
On August 23, 1962 Reverend James Bevel, a local organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) delivered a sermon to persuade listeners to register to vote. After hearing this sermon, Hamer knew she needed to fight for her rights and inspire others to do the same. Within a week, Hamer was travelling through the south singing spirituals and gospel songs to inspire Freedom Riders. The following summer she participated in
By August 31, Hamer was traveling on a bus with other activists to Indianola, Miss to register as voters. To encourage other participants, Hamer began singing songs such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and "This Little Light of Mine." As a result of Hamer's singing, she was asked by civil rights leaders to travel throughout the South, as a grassroots worker and organizer. She participated as Freedom Democrat at the National Democratic Convention in 1964 and she continued to pursue local and regional civil rights issues.
She was made a member of Mississippi's delegation to the Democratic National Convention of 1968. Hamer used her position as a delegate to speak out against the Vietnam War.
In Mississippi, Hamer helped establish Head Start programs and King's Poor People's Campaign.More »
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