Social Justice Activists

Bernice Reagon• Sang with the Freedom

Singers.• Later formed the group

Sweet Honey in the Rock, which sings about equality, the environment, and peace.

• Works at the Smithsonian to preserve Black culture.

Fannie Lou Hamer• “I am sick and tired of

being sick and tired”• Tired of racism and

poverty, Hamer risked her life by registering to vote.

• Traveled to the Democratic National Convention in 1964 as a representative of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Robert Moses• Left New York City for the

South to take part in the Civil Rights Movement.

• Organized activists to teach Southerners how to read and write and learn about their rights.

• Started the “Algebra Project” to teach all students the basic math skills required for college.

Ella Baker• Inspired and guided the

emerging leaders of the Civil Right Movement.

• Ran a voter registration campaign called Crusade for Citizenship.

• Helped form the SNCC to organize student activists and worked to encourage new, young activists.

Septima Poinsette Clark• “Grandmother of the Civil

Rights Movement”• Founded the “Citizenship

Schools” and pioneered teaching adult literacy.

• Worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. as director of education for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

John Lewis• Volunteered for the

Freedom Riders in 1961 to challenge segregation at bus terminals.

• Spent time as chairman of the SNCC and led marchers across Pettus Bridge, resulting in “Bloody Sunday”.

• Currently serving his seventh term in Congress.

Harvey Milk• Featured in the film The

Time of Harvey Milk.• One of the first openly

gay elected officials in the USA.

• Dreamed of a society where everyone shared equal rights, regardless of gender, race, sexual preference, disability, or age.

Dolores Huerta• Fought for farmworker

rights in the USA and was the leader of the United Farmworkers of America.

• Fought for better wages and working conditions for farmworkers, especially on keeping toxic pesticides off crops.

Bayard Rustin• Orchestrated the March

on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.

• Taught Martin Luther King, Jr. the non-violent ways of Gandhi.

Myles Horton• Created the Highlander

Folk School in 1932, which ignored segregation lines and taught leadership skills to blacks and whites.

• Also worked with labor unions, antipoverty organizations, and civil rights leaders, seeking to end social injustice.

Dick Gregory• Used his stand-up

comedy acts to satirize racial prejudice in the US.

• Gave a comedic voice to the Civil Rights Movement.

• Worked with the SNCC in Mississippi.

Harry Belafonte• A major financer of the Civil

Rights Movement, supporting the Freedom Riders, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the SNCC.

• Organized the We Are the World project, which raised millions of dollars for famine victims in Africa.

• Honored by UNICEF for his social and humanitarian activism.

Jimmy Carter• 39th Presidents of the

United States and first to earn a Nobel Peace Prize after leaving office.

• Founded the Carter Center for Human Rights to bring equality throughout the US and the world.

Coretta Scott King• Devoted her life to speaking

out for social justice and change.

• Took part in pro-democracy movements world-wide, fighting for racial and economic justice, women’s rights, religious freedom and more.

• Founded the King Center for non-violent social change.

Paul Robeson• Internationally

acclaimed singer and actor.

• Accused of being a communist when he spoke out against segregation.

• Protector of the African American heritage in the US.

Cesar Chavez• Fought for the rights of

farmworkers.• Founded the United Farm

Workers Union with Dolores Huerta.

• Went on numerous hunger strikes to bring awareness to the farmworkers cause, even getting famous actors to take part.

Millard Fuller• Self-made millionaire by

age 29.• Was unhappy and turned

to religion for guidance.• Gave away all his money

to charity and founded Habitat for Humanity to provide cheap housing all over the world.

Lorraine Hansberry• Famous playwright,

most known for her play A Raisin in the Sun.

• Her writings reflected her own experiences with racism and discrimination.

• Wrote for Freedom a progressive black newspaper in New York.

Elie Wiesel• Holocaust survivor, who

was liberated from Auschwitz.

• Wrote the book Night publicizing his experiences.

• Spent much of his later life writing and speaking out for the oppressed around the world.

Claudette Colvin• Was arrested in 1955 at

age 15 for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person.

• Rather than being applauded, many people feared her and labeled her a troublemaker.

• Went to court to help overturn bus segregation.