Fannie Lou Hamer was a galvanizing force of the Civil Rights movement, using her voice to advance voting rights and representation for Black Americans throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Faced with eviction, arrests, and abuse at the hands of white doctors, policemen, and others, Hamer stayed true to her faith and her conviction in non-violent progress. She helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, ran for Congress, and was one of the first three Black women in American history to be seated on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. Hamer dedicated herself fully as a grassroots organizer of the Civil Rights movement, inspiring countless activists and pushing progress forward. This is her story.
1963: Joining the movement
Undeterred, Fannie Lou took the test again and passed. SNCC recognized her leadership qualities and hired her. On 9 June 1963, while returning from a citizenship training class in South Carolina, the police in Winona, Mississippi arrested her. They brutally beat her, leaving her with lasting injuries. She spent four days in jail without medical treatment. Singing the spiritual “Walk With Me, Jesus,” gave her the strength to survive. She was released on 12 June 1963 just hours after Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers was assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi. Image: Hamer was arrested and beaten in jail on 9 June 1963. Credit: FBI.
Images are from Walk with Me, except where otherwise noted and linked.
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