Reading this book is itself a course in the heroic civil rights era. Fannie lou hamer civil rights activist, philanthropist. 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. 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. Fannie lou hamer 19171977 was a civil rights activist whose passionate depiction of her own suffering in a racist society helped focus attention on. Had she lived past the age of 59 she would have done so much more. Voice of freedom is infused with hamers own quotes and the colloquial style that defined her skill as a speaker. Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life. She was the cofounder and vicechair of the freedom democratic party, which she represented at the 1964 democratic national convention. Its a beautifully told tale of an important figure in civil rights, someone more people should know about. 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. In this speech, hamer represented both the concerns of the mississippi freedom democratic party mfdp and the limits of american democracy when she proclaimed. As a civil rights activist in the 1960s, fannie lou hamer helped focus attention on the plight of african americans. This book is composed of free versed poems that details the hardships fannie faced as a child until she was an adult.
Fannie lou hamer was born in to a family of 19 children in montgomery county, mississippi. She also has done a remarkable job of conveying these poems in the voice of ms hamer. Marian wright edelman this book is the essence of raw courage. Fannie lou hamer was determined to change the world. Her family were sharecroppers a position not that different from slavery. Hamer forced me to consider black people as human beings who could bleed, suffer, aspire, struggle, and rejoice. 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. Finally, a book for children about fannie lou hamer, one of the most influential women in the modern civil rights movement. This book explores the life of one of mississippis greatest civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer.
Let us carry on the legacy of this civil rights hero by working towards a. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you. 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 also organized mississippis freedom summer along. 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. Billie jean young, official website, actor, speaker, author. Brooks writing is compelling, elucidating, and engaging. 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. In 1964, fannie lou hamer delivered a heartwrenching testimony before the democratic national conventions dnc credentials committee. The life of fannie lou hamer civil rights and struggle mills. When harriet tubman led her people to freedom, rev.
To tell it like it is margaret walker alexander series in african american studies by maegan parker brooks and davis w. Fannie lou hamer is an informational, non fiction, and biography that follows the life of fannie lou hamer, a civil rights activist. The life of fannie lou hamer women in american history by chana kai lee. Fannie lou townsend was born 6th october 1917, to james and ella townsend. She inspired me to begin a process of listening, reading, and learning about black people that would change my life. Although this is a picture book, it is more appropriate for upper elementary grades, given topics such as hamers forced sterilization. Vibrant illustrations by ekua holmes support the twentytwo poems elegantly, reflecting their rhythm and movement. To tell it like it is ebook written by maegan parker brooks, davis w. The life of fannie lou hamer is a biography of fannie lou hamer, who is a noted civil rights activist. This book charts fannie lou hamers life from her family beginnings as a sharecropper to her run for the mississippi state senate. Hamer was born on october 6, 1917 in montgomery county, mississippi. Fannie lou hamer, known as the lady who was sick and tired of being sick and tired, was born october 6, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi.
Fannie lou hamer, born in mississippi, was working in the fields when she was six and was only educated through the sixth grade. Family secrets biography, told to young by jaye peay. She was born in montgomery county, mississippi, in the united states. Fannie lou hamer was born in 1917, the 20th child of lou ella and james lee townsend, sharecroppers east of the mississippi delta. Hamer gave a speech at the democratic national convention that, despite president johnsons interference, aired on national tv. Fannie lou hamer biography, life, interesting facts. Firsthand accounts of fannie lou hamers emergence as a leader of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Despite suffering so many grave injustices during her life, fannie lou hamer never gave up fighting for a better world. October 6, 1917 march 14, 1977 was an american voting and womens rights activist, community organizer, and a leader in the civil rights movement.
I would have never heard of her had i not had to purchase this book for my class. Discussion of two books about fannie lou hamer americans who. With a foreword by marion wright edelman the awardwinning biography of black civil rights activist fannie lou hamer. Sibert honor booka 2016 john steptoe new talent illustrator award winnerstirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of fannie lou hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. 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. 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. 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. Fannie lou hamer biography, life, interesting facts early years and education. 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 portrait of the singer and activist. Fannie lou hamer americas freedom fighting woman book. This is one of the best nonfiction picture books ive ever read. Carrying on the legacy of civil rights activist fannie lou. The spirit of the civil rights movement by carole boston weatherford and ekua holmes when i was born, on october 6, 1917, the. 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.
I love the way the author has told fannie lou hamer s story through free verse poetry. Maegan parker brooks has written a passionate account of the life and times of fannie lou hamer in fannie lou hamer. 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. On resisting the urge to call on our dead for the purpose of giving them the space t0 rest. The life of fannie lou hamer civil rights and struggle by kay mills aug 24, 2007. 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.
Online shopping from a great selection at books store. How fannie lou hamer changed my life the sword of the lord. 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. Five years later, i met fannie lou hamer when she came to speak in madison, wisconsin where i was a college student. Growing up in the american south, she knew firsthand the impact of racism and the. Provides a history that helps us to understand the choices made by so many black men and women of hamers generation, who somehow found the courage to join a movement in which they risked everything. Illustrated biography of fannie lou hamer, activist for voting and economic rights. John lewis the awardwinning biography of black civil rights activist fannie lou hamer. The spirit of the civil rights movement written by carole boston weatherford illustrated by ekua holmes age range. Todays book is about fannie lou hamer, 19171977, a hero of the united states civil rights movement. She first joined her family in the cotton fields at the age of six. She went to work on the plantation where her husband drove a tractor, first as a field worker and. 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.
Civil rights, sncc, mississippi freedom democratic party, oral history. Hamer, an important figure in the 60s deepsouth struggles whose name may be unfamiliar to some. Hamer started picking cotton from the age of six to help her family. When meditating on lavender, we considered the perspective of my greatgrandmother on rest. Testimony before the credentials committee, democratic national convention, atlantic city, new jersey fannie lou hamer defining documents in american history. This book commemorates and explores the life of one of mississippis great civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Holmes quiltlike collage illustrations emphasize the importance hamer placed on community among africanamericans. Dropping out of school to work in the fields fannie lou hamer dropped out of school and began working in the fields all at the age of six.
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