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Fannie Lou Hamer: A Biographical Sketch By Maegan Parker Brooks, PhD

“I question America. Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where we have to sleep with our telephones off the hook because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?”

Withthiscriticalquestion,deliveredatthe1964DemocraticNationalConvention,FannieLouHamerbecamereveredacrossthenation.MalcolmXreferredtoherasthe“country’snumberonefreedomfightingwoman”andrumorhasitMartinLutherKing,Jr—thoughhelovedherdearly—fearedbeingupstagedbyHamer’ssoul-stirringspeeches.Overherlifetime(1917-1977),FannieLouHamertraveledfromtheDeltaofMississippitotheAtlanticCityBoardwalk,fromWashington,D.C.toWashingtonState,fromMadison,WisconsintoConakry,Guinea—alwaysproclaimingthesocialgospelthatallhumanbeingsarecreatedequalandthatallpeopleareentitledtobasicrightsoffood,shelter,dignity,andavoiceinthegovernmenttowhichtheybelong.

FannieLouHamerheldstrongconvictions,butshewasnoidealist.BornthetwentiethchildofJamesLeeandLouEllaTownsend,FannieLouandherlargefamilystruggledtosurviveassharecroppersonplantationscontrolledbyWhites.Asanoutgrowthofslavery,thesharecropping

systemwaslargelydesignedtokeepBlackpeopleindebtedtoWhitelandowners.Thiseconomiccontrolheldsocialandpoliticalimplicationsaswell.

TheTownsendsencouragedtheirchildrentogetaneducationsotheymightimaginealifebeyondsharecropping’sconstanttoil.FannieLoubeganpickingcottonattheageofsix,butforfourmonthsoftheyear—whenherlaborwasn’tneededinthefields—sheattendedaone-roomplantationschoolhouse.FannieLoulovedschool;fromherteacher,ProfessorThorntonLayne,shelearnedtoread,

FIND YOUR VOICE

AMER ICA

FIGURE 1:FannieLouHameraddressesthe1964DemocraticNationalConvention.

FIGURE 2:Thesharecroppingsystemreplacedslaveryasameansofsecuringcheaplabor,aswellassocialandpoliticalcontrolforWhitepeopleThesharecroppingsystemreplacedslaveryasameansofsecuringcheaplabor,aswellassocialandpoliticalcontrolforWhitepeople.

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write,andproudlyrecitepoetrywrittenbyBlackartists.Unfortunately,FannieLouwasforcedtodropoutofschoolinthesixthgradetohelpheragingparentsinthefields.

Asateenager,shecontinuedhereducationinformally—listeningcarefullytostorieshermothersharedandsongsLouEllawouldsingthatemphasizedraceprideandthatencouragedherchildrentoseethatGodwasonthesideoftheoppressed.Herfatherreinforcedthesemessagesfromthepulpit,servingasapreacherattheStrangersHomeBaptistChurch.InthisBlack-controlledspace,FannieLoudevelopedastrongvoice—oftenperformingwhatwouldbecomehersignaturecivilrightsanthem,“ThisLittleLightofMine.”

Afterherfatherdiedfromastrokein1939,FannieLouandhermothermovedtotheW.D.Marlowplantation,wheretheymetPerry“Pap”Hamer.FannieLoufellinlovewiththisstrongandkindman;thetwoweremarriedin1944.MarlowsoonpromotedFannieLouHamerfromsharecroppertothepositionoftimekeeperontheplantation.Inthishighlyrespectedposition,sheweighedandrecordedherfellowsharecroppers’harvest.

TheHamerssharedaloveofyoungpeopleandeventuallyadoptedtwodaughtersfromtheircommunity:DorothyJeanandVergieRee.Throughoutthe1950s,thecoupleworkedtirelesslytoprovidefortheirgirlsandtocareforLouEllaTownsend,wholosthereyesightandwasconfinedtoawheelchair.

FannieLousufferedfromseveremenstrualcrampingandsoughtmedicaltreatmentintheearly1960s.TheWhitedoctorshevisitedinformedherthatshehadauterinetumor,whichwouldrequireasimpleproceduretoremove.Shelaterlearnedthatduringtheprocedure,thedoctorgaveherahysterectomy—withoutherknowledgeorconsent.FannieLouwasdevastatedtoknowshewouldneverbeabletobearchildren.Bythetimeofhermother’sdeathin1961,Hamerhadgrownsosickofthesystemofexploitationsheenduredthatshebeganlookingforachanceto“reallylashoutandsaywhatshehadtosayaboutwhatwashappeninginthestateofMississippi.”

ThatchancecameintheformoftheStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee(SNCC),whovisitedWilliam’sChapelinAugust1962.JamesFormanandJamesBevelinformedtheparishionersthattheyhadarighttovoteandthecivilrightsactivistsencouragedthecongregationtoformallyregister.FannieLouHamerwasamongthefirsteighteenpeopleSNCCbroughttoIndianolatotaketheregistrationtest.BythetimeshemadeithometoRulevillefromthenearbycountyseat,theplantationownerhadalreadylearnedofhercivicassertion—Marlowfiredherthateveningandevictedherfromhisplantation.BeingfiredfromtheplantationwhereshefellinlovewithPap,raisedheryoungchildren,buriedhermother,andworkedasatimekeeperforeighteenyearswasaheart-wrenchingexperienceforMrs.Hamer.Thispainofthisexperiencepromptedhertorealizethatshehadnothinglefttolose.Afterbeingfiredfromtheplantation,shebeganworkingfulltimeforthecivilrightsmovement.

FIGURE 3:FannieLouHamerandPerry“Pap”Hamer

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Attheageof44,FannieLouHamerbecameSNCC’soldestfieldworker.ShetraveledacrosstheSouthencouragingotherBlackpeopletoregisterandvote.Totrainforthiswork,sheattendedvoterregistrationworkshops.InJuneof1963,onthereturntripfromonesuchworkshop,Mrs.HamerandseveralothercivilrightsactivistswerearrestedandbroughttotheWinonajailhouse.Thegroupwaschargedwithresistingarrestanddisorderlyconduct.Theywerelockedincells,beaten,andtorturedbyprisoners,prisonguards,andstatehighwaypatrolmen.SNCCworkerstrieddesperatelytobailthemout.Daysintotheircaptivity,AndrewYoungandDorothyCotton,oftheSouthernChristianLeadershipCouncil,finallysecuredtheirrelease.Stepsoutoftheprisondoor,Mrs.HamerlearnedthattheNAACPFieldSecretary,MedgarEvers,hadbeenshotandkilledonthefrontlawnofhisJacksonhome.

Mrs.HamercastWhiteSupremacistretaliationinBiblicalterms—understandingherselfandtheactivistswithwhomsheworkedas“walkingthroughthevalleyofshadowofdeath”—herfaithsustainedherand,“fearingnoevil,”theretaliationsheendureddroveheractivism.HamerhelpedtrainFreedomSummervolunteers,sheranforpoliticaloffice,andshewasselectedasadelegatetothe1964DemocraticNationalConventioninAtlanticCity.ThereshedeliveredherdamningCredentialsCommitteetestimony;thelivetelevisioncoverageofwhichwasinterruptedbyPresidentLyndonB.Johnson.Thatevening,however,hertestimonywasreplayedinfulland

carriedintothehomesofallAmericansbythethreemajortelevisionnetworks.ThistestimonyintroducedthenationtoFannieLouHamerandtheDemocraticPartywasfloodedwithtelegramsofsupportforseatingtheMississippiFreedomDemocraticParty(MFDP)delegatesintheplaceoftheall-Whitesegregateddelegationofficiallysentfromthestate.AlthoughtheMFDP’schallengetobeseatedwasunsuccessful,organizationsacrossthecountryreachedouttoMrs.Hamerandinvitedhertospeakattheirchurches,universities,andcommunitycenters.

Beforeembarkingonwhatwouldbecomeadecadeofspeakingtours,Mrs.Hamerenjoyedarareandunforgettablemomentofrespite.Famedperformerandardentcivilrightssupporter,HarryBelafonte,providedatriptoWestAfricafortheembattledSNCCactivists.ReturningtothehomeofherancestorswasamovingexperiencethatstayedwithHamerfortheremainderofherlife.ExperiencingtheBlack-ledstateofGuinea,witnessingthebeautyoftheAfricanpeople,andrecognizingthesimilaritiesbetweenherfamilyandthefamilieswithwhomsheinteractedhelpedreversealifetimeofWhiteSupremacistideology,whichjustifiedtheexploitationofBlackpeopleandtheseparationoftheAnglo-SaxonandAfrican“races”baseduponerroneousSocialDarwinistprinciples.

WhenHamerreturnedfromAfrica,shespearheadedanothernationalchallenge—thistimeshe,AnnieDevine,andVictoriaGray,asrepresentativesoftheMFDP,wentstraighttotheUnitedStatesCongressanddemandedtobeseatedinplaceoftherepresentativessentfrom

FIGURE 4:FannieLouHamersingingandspeakingontheAtlanticCityBoardwalkduringthe1964DemocraticNationalConvention.

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theirrespectivedistricts.Throughthousandsofaffidavitsdocumentingvoterdiscrimination,intimidation,andoutrightprohibition,theMFDPdemonstratedthatBlackpeoplehadbeenillegallybarredfromparticipatingintheelectionprocess;therefore,therepresentativessentfromtheirdistrictswereillegallyelected—notatall“representative”ofthepeopletheyostensiblyserved.AlthoughtheCongressionalRepresentativesfromMississippiwereultimatelyallowedtoservetheirterms,theMFDP’sdemonstrationpromptedanine-monthinvestigationintocivilrightsabusesinMississippi.Whenthemotiontounseattherepresentativeswascalledtoavote,Hamer,Devine,andGraybecamethefirstthreeBlackwomentoeverbeseatedontheflooroftheUSHouseofRepresentatives.Furtherstill,theMFDP’s1965CongressionalChallengecontributedtothepassageofthe1965VotingRightsAct.

Afterthe1964DNCChallengeandthe1965CongressionalChallenge,HamerbecameincreasinglyvirulentinhercritiqueoftheDemocraticParty’shypocrisy.SheneverthelessrepresentedMississippiaspartoftheintegrated“Loyalist”delegationsentfromthestatetothe1968DNC.Insidetheconvention,Mrs.Hamerreceivedastandingovationfromthedelegateswhenshetookherhard-earnedseatasanofficiallyrecognizeddelegate.Outsidetheconvention,policeclashedviolentlywithantiwardemonstrators.AnearlycriticoftheVietnamWar,Hamerwasdisgustedbyhowtheprotestorsweretreatedbythestate.

In1971,Mrs.HamerspokeatthefoundingoftheNationalWomen’sPoliticalCaucus.Widelyrecognizedasaninspirationalfemaleleader,Hamerwasfrequentlyaskedtospeakatgatheringsofsecondwavefeminists.SheusedtheseoccasionstopreachaBlackFeministmessage—emphasizingthemultiplefacetsofherintersectionalidentityasanimpoverishedpro-lifeBlackwomanfromtheruralSouth—andwarningheraudiencesagainstusingthebannerof“sisterhood”topaperoversignificantdifferencesinwomen’slivedexperiences.

Duringthelate1960sandearly1970s,Mrs.HamerwasadrivingforcebehindseveralpovertyprogramsinthestateofMississippi.TheMississippiprogramswerepartofthenationalWaronPoverty.Inhermorecynicalmoments,Hamerwouldquip:“that’sexactlywhatitis—awaragainstpoorpeople.”Shefeltitsattacksacutely.In1967,theHamerslosttheirolderdaughter,DorothyJean,tocomplicationsrelatedtomalnutrition.Dorothyleftbehindtwoyoungdaughters—JacquelineandLenora.Becomingtheprimarycaregiversforaninfantandatoddler,whilealso

FIGURE 5:FannieLouHamer’striptoAfricabeliedtheWhiteSupremacistideologyofBlackinferiorityandreinforcedmessagesofBlackpridehermotherandfathertaughtherasachild.

FIGURE 6:VictoriaGray,FannieLouHamer,andAnnieDevinechallengetheUnitedStatesCongress,becomingthefirstthreeBlackwomenevertobeseatedontheflooroftheHouseofRepresentatives.

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caringforteen-agedVergie,theHamerscontinuedtostrugglefinancially.FannieLouHamerhadlearnedabouttheOfficeofEconomicOpportunitywhilevisitingnortherncitiesonspeakingtoursinthemid-1960s.Thatknowledge,combinedwiththementorshipofDrew-nativeDr.L.C.Dorsey,whohelpedfoundtheNorthBolivarCountyCooperative,laythefoundationforMrs.Hamer’sownFreedomFarm.

HamerboughtFreedomFarm’sthefirstfortyacresoutright—donationsshereceivedfromnorthernorganizationslikeMadison’sMeasureforMeasureandWalksforHunger,whichtookplaceincitiesfromMilwaukeetoCambridgecoveredthecost.Tomeetthegrowingneedsofhercommunity,consistinglargelyofsharecroppingfamiliesdisplacedbyfarmmechanization,Hamercontinuedtosolicitdonations,applyforgrants,andpourthehonorariashereceivedfromspeakingengagementsintothefarm.FreedomFarmgrewfromtheinitialfortyacresHamerpurchasedtonearly700acres;thislandyielded

cashcropslikecottonandsoybeans,aswellascropssuchascorn,potatoes,andrice—growntofeeditscooperativemembers.Forprotein,FreedomFarmdevelopedaPigBankprogramsponsoredbytheNationalCouncilofNegroWomen.Mrs.Hameralsohelpednearly200familiesinandaroundRulevillesecuredecenthousingthroughfederalloanprograms;andsheevenfurnishedagarmentfactorywithsewingmachinesdonatedfromnorthernactivistswhomshemetonhernationalspeakingtours.

Bythemid1970s,Mrs.Hamer’shealthbegantodeterioraterapidly.Shesufferedfromanxiety,breastcancer,hypertension,anddiabetes—compoundedbyademandingtravelscheduleandanunyieldingdesiretocareforherchildren,herbelovedhusband,andthoseinherDeltacommunity.OnMarch14,1977,attheageof59,Mrs.Hamerdiedofheartfailure.Insistentthatshenotbeburiedonaplantation,CharlesMcLaurin,thecivilrightstorch-beareranddearfriendofMrs.Hamer,workedwiththeCityofRulevilletoburyheronFreedomFarm’sfirstfortyacres.Hergravestoneaptlyengraved:“I’msickandtiredofbeingsickandtired.”

InthefiftyyearssinceMrs.Hamer’spassing,shehasnotbeenforgotten.Hergravestoneisnowsurroundedbyamemorialgarden,abronzestatue,andarecreationcenter.Onherbirthdayeachyear,family,friends,fellowactivists,andlong-timeadmirersfromacrosstheglobegathertohonorher.ThestateofMississippiissuedacommemorativepostagestamp,featuring

FIGURE 7:AlongFreedomFarmroad,outsideofDrew,Mississippi

FIGURE 8:AyounggirllooksuptoMrs.Hameratthe2012StatueUnveiling

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herimagemergedwithMedgarEvers’.TheMississippiCivilRightsMuseumincludestributestoRuleville’sfirstladythroughout;theNationalCivilRightsMuseuminMemphisandtheNationalMuseumofAfricanAmericanHistorybothrecognizeherfearlessactivism.ContemporaryBlackLivesMatteractivistscarryherspiritforwarddonning“FightLikeFannieLou”t-shirtsandsheevenhasherownTwitterpage,wherein@FannieLouHamerdeclaresshe’s“sickandtired”ofcontemporarypoliticiansandexploitivepoliticalpractices.

Anewdocumentary,Fannie Lou Hamer’s America,toldentirelythroughrarerecordingsofMrs.Hamer’sspeeches,songs,andinterviewsisforthcoming.Withthatfilm,theFindYourVoiceK-12curriculum,developedinpartnershipwithrenownededucatorsfromtheMississippiDelta,andtheFindYourVoice:TheOnlineResourceforFannieLouHamerStudies,wehopetokeepthecomplexityofMrs.Hamer’smessagealiveandinspiringforgenerationstocome.

FIGURE 9:ABlackLivesMatterProtestor,donninga“FightLikeFannieLou”t-shirtdemandtobeheardduringaBernieSanders’campaignappearanceinthesummerof2015