Ella Baker exemplifies the proverb, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a life time.” Her efforts in the fight for African Americans Civil Rights go widely unrecognized. Baker was not interested in having recognition, instead she empowered a community to speak up and fight. Her work through education and support has had a rippled affect. She believed those who were strong and empowered did not need a leader. Her out spoken attitude and strong demeanor created conflicts between her and fellow civil rights leaders. She created a radical way of thinking about leadership. Her motive was in the people and their needs. She did not want to be recognized and stayed behind when the spotlight shined.
