Todays book is about fannie lou hamer, 19171977, a hero of the united states civil rights movement. The spirit of the civil rights movement by carole boston weatherford and ekua holmes when i was born, on october 6, 1917, the plantation owner paid my mother. Fannie lou hamer was born in 1917, the 20th child of lou ella and james lee townsend, sharecroppers east of the mississippi delta. Flh democratic coalitions mission is to empower and educate citizens in st. Fannie lou hamer brought a head start program to her local community, to form a local pig bank cooperative 1968 with the help of the national council of negro women, and later to found the freedom farm cooperative 1969. Had she lived past the age of 59 she would have done so much more. Fannie lous parents worked, and they worked hard, and they stayed poor. Billie jean young, official website, actor, speaker, author.
Civil rights, sncc, mississippi freedom democratic party, oral history. Marian wright edelman this book is the essence of raw courage. With a foreword by marion wright edelman the awardwinning biography of black civil rights activist fannie lou hamer. Illustrated biography of fannie lou hamer, activist for voting and economic rights. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement by carole boston weatherford. Among the most important figures of the civil rights movement, fannie lou hamer rose from difficult circumstances to dedicate her life to battling racism and poverty. Fannie lou townsend hamer rose from humble beginnings in the mississippi delta to become one of the most important, passionate, and powerful voices of the civil and voting rights movements and a leader in the efforts for greater economic opportunities for african americans. The life of fannie lou hamer civil rights and struggle mills. In august of 1962, eighteen local people from sunflower county, mississippi, including mrs. Fannie lou hamer americas freedom fighting woman book. Kay mills was a journalist and author of five nonfiction books who revived the nearlylost stories of women journalists and civil rights icons, wrote this biography. She helped found the national womens political caucus in 1971, speaking for the inclusion of racial issues in the. She first joined her family in the cotton fields at the age of six.
Raised by hardworking parents who were sharecroppers, she was no stranger to poverty or hardship. The spirit of the civil rights movement written by carole boston weatherford illustrated by ekua holmes age range. Discussion of two books about fannie lou hamer americans who. Fannie lous mother was short, black, and poor, in mississippi, and she never let anybody beat up on her babies. Weatherford provides further notes on hamers life, in addition to a timeline of the civil rights movement from her birth in 1917 to her death in 1977. She came into the national spotlight at the democratic national convention in.
When harriet tubman led her people to freedom, rev. Fannie lou hamer was a poorly educated woman who, like most of her contemporaries growing up in predepression mississippi and beyond, endured virtual apartheid for a good portion of her life. Fannie lou hamer, african american civil rights activist, cofounder in 1964, and vicechairperson of the mississippi freedom democratic party mfdp, which was established as an alternative to the allwhite mississippi democratic party. To tell it like it is margaret walker alexander series in african american studies by maegan parker brooks and davis w. As a civil rights activist in the 1960s, fannie lou hamer helped focus attention on the plight of african americans. She was the cofounder and vicechair of the freedom democratic party, which she represented at the 1964 democratic national convention. This book commemorates and explores the life of one of mississippis great civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Fannie lou hamer american experience official site pbs. Jan 10, 2014 this book explores the life of one of mississippis greatest civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Voice of freedom fannie lou hamer candlewick press. It is a beautiful book, and in the capable hands of carole boston weatherford readers are transport back through the life and achievements of fannie lou hamer. Top 30 quotes of fannie lou hamer famous quotes and sayings.
Feb 08, 2019 as a civil rights activist in the 1960s, fannie lou hamer helped focus attention on the plight of african americans. Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, fannie lou hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. This book is composed of free versed poems that details the hardships fannie faced as a child until she was an adult. In 1964, fannie lou hamer delivered a heartwrenching testimony before the democratic national conventions dnc credentials committee. Known for her daring, her brinkmanship and her impassioned speechmaking, hamer rose to prominence in the mississippi freedom democratic party, an intrepid group which tried to unseat the predominantly white democrats of mississippi during the 1964 democratic national convention. Fannie lou hamer biography, life, interesting facts. Sibert honor book a 2016 john steptoe new talent illustrator award winner stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of fannie lou hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. Fannie lou hamer biography, life, interesting facts early years and education. She was the granddaughter of a slave and the youngest of 20 children. Known for her daring, her brinkmanship and her impassioned speechmaking, hamer rose to prominence in the mississippi freedom democratic party, an intrepid group which tried to unseat the predominantly white democrats of mississippi during the. A story of perseverance and unique qualities that continue to set examples today. Finally, a book for children about fannie lou hamer, one of the most influential women in the modern civil rights movement. The life of fannie lou hamer is a biography of fannie lou hamer, who is a noted civil rights activist. John lewis the awardwinning biography of black civil rights activist fannie lou hamer.
Although this is a picture book, it is more appropriate for upper elementary grades, given topics such as hamers forced sterilization. Chana kai lee in this intimate biography, chana kai lee documents hamers lifelong crusade to empower the poor through collective action, her rise to national prominence as a civil rights activist, and the. A leader of the civil rights movement, fannie lou hamer was born fannie lou townsend on october 6, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi, the youngest of 20 children. Apr 15, 2019 a leader of the civil rights movement, fannie lou hamer was born fannie lou townsend on october 6, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi, the youngest of 20 children. Fannie lou hamer 19171977 was a civil rights activist whose passionate depiction of her own suffering in a racist society helped focus attention on the plight of africanamericans throughout. Hamer started picking cotton from the age of six to help her family.
Fannie lou hamer is an informational, non fiction, and biography that follows the life of fannie lou hamer, a civil rights activist. I would have never heard of her had i not had to purchase this book for my class. Family secrets biography, told to young by jaye peay. While the book spotlights some of the specific hardships fannie lou hamer faced, her individual truth evokes the experiences faced by many others and helps students better understand the. Young readers who open this book with just a vague notion of who fannie lou hamer was will wonder no more after absorbing this striking. Fannie lou townsend was born 6th october 1917, to james and ella townsend. This book charts fannie lou hamers life from her family beginnings as a sharecropper to her run for the mississippi state senate. Fannie lou hamer civil rights activist, philanthropist.
This book explores the life of one of mississippis greatest civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Hamer, traveled by bus from ruleville to the courthouse in indianola. Hamer gave a speech at the democratic national convention that, despite president johnsons interference, aired on national tv. This expansive, richly illustrated biography about the voice of the civil rights movement recounts hamers humble and povertystricken beginnings in 1917 as the 20th child of mississippi sharecroppers through her struggle to fight for the rights of black people on local, regional, and. An unlettered mississippi cottonpicker, fannie lou hamer 19181977 led the black mississippi freedom democratic party at the 1964 democratic convention and was, to many in. Hamer was born on october 6, 1917 in montgomery county, mississippi.
From this arresting beginning jordan evokes a human presence in a text as simple as tobias crowell biography below, but with strikingly contrasting incisiveness from start to finish. Fannie lou hamer 19171977 was a civil rights activist whose passionate depiction of her own suffering in a racist society helped focus attention on. Hamer, an important figure in the 60s deepsouth struggles whose name may be unfamiliar to some. Vibrant illustrations by ekua holmes support the twentytwo poems elegantly, reflecting their rhythm and movement.
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