#freedomsummer

Civil rights crusader Fannie Lou Hamer representing the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Methodist Church Ministries/Kenneth Thompson, online here.

“NOBODY’S FREE UNTIL EVERYBODY’S FREE.” 

In honor of Black History Month, and during the other 11 months, our Say It Loud! Employee Affinity Group’s Rediscovering Black History blog highlights significant contributions African Americans have made—and continue to make — to this country. 

Archives specialist Netisha Currie writes about civil rights activist Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer as part of the NARA Black History Basic Training series. Currie shares Hamer’s incredible history that included African American voter registration, organizing Freedom Summer, co-founding the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, and helping to establish the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971. 

Governor Bill Clinton’s “Vision for America” speech at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), 7/16/1992, Clinton Library, NARA ID 18557458.

See also:

National Archives Rediscovering Black History blog

Read Hamer’s full biography here.

Fannie Lou Hamer, National Women’s History Museum

Sandy Aquila

Omaha, NE 

My latest column is about the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer and how MDAH plans to commemorate this Important event.

See the image or follow the link below.

Dorie Ladner fought for civil rights and voter registration in Black communities in Natchez and other places.

The strangest thing is that Dorie Ladner was on my mind Monday night, March 11, and early Tuesday morning, March 12. I had started writing a column about her when I learned of her passing. I ended up writing this article.

#DorieLadner #CivilRights #FreedomSummer #BlackHistory #WomensHistory #WomensHistoryMonth #NatchezHistory #MississippiHistory

See the full story here:

Fannie Lou Hamer (October 6, 1917 — March 14, 1977) was a Mississippi-born civil rights activist and community organizer. Her willingness to share her own painful experiences as a Black woman in a racist society brought attention to the plight of Black Americans in the South.

She was a steadfast voting rights advocate, whose voter registration work changed the political landscape of the American South.