When we study the American Civil Rights movement, we usually study those who were in the spotlight, like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Malcolm X, etc. There needs to be an understanding that there were underdogs to this movement like Fannie Lou Hamer, her story is a powerful one that elaborates on the experiences of a disabled older black woman who was part of a sharecropping family. Stories like hers aren’t particularly heard when studying the American civil rights movement or the Jim Crow South. Author Kiesha N. Blain speaks about the struggles that Fannie Lou Hamer faces and the need to understand activists like Hamer, who holds so much power. Due to her working tirelessly since the day she was able to, her lack of
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She wasn’t alone in her belief as other religious groups followed her views and backed her up, like the Members of the Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam. On the topic of the American Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer talks about the least. Before reading this book, I had no idea who she was or what she even did, if I’m honest. Her need for standing up for the rights of African Americans was pivotal in educating those who weren’t aware of what was going on outside of their plantation and that it wasn’t normal to be treated like this. At one point, the executive of the NAACP told her that she was an ignorant woman and questioned her political knowledge and leadership capabilities (Blain,48). I believe this is why she is not as well-known as other American Civil Rights Activists. People don’t believe that someone who is uneducated can rise to power and want to help others better themselves. In today’s world of 2024, we can still see police brutality amongst African …show more content…
She explains her experience at the Democratic National Convention in 1964 “They beat me till my body was hard, till I couldn’t bend my fingers or get up when they told me to. That’s how I got this blood clot in my left eye – the sight is nearly gone now. And my kidney was injured from the blows the gave me in the back” (Blain, 31). Hamer’s story is like those of today where black people could just be driving to work, getting something from a convenience store, sleeping in their own home protecting themselves, or an inmate in jail; you could end up with serious injuries to your body or even death. Fannie Lou Hamer’s story is impactful and one that should be taught more in schools; Her willingness to fight for what’s right and learn new things that she hadn’t heard about is inspiring to those who haven’t heard of her before. Hamer’s experiences and religion are what shaped her political role during the American Civil Rights Movement. What she has faced in her life is not something easy or something that anyone could do; she went against the norm and created new ideas for those who weren’t knowledgeable on such topics as the power of
She wasn’t alone in her belief as other religious groups followed her views and backed her up, like the Members of the Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam. On the topic of the American Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer talks about the least. Before reading this book, I had no idea who she was or what she even did, if I’m honest. Her need for standing up for the rights of African Americans was pivotal in educating those who weren’t aware of what was going on outside of their plantation and that it wasn’t normal to be treated like this. At one point, the executive of the NAACP told her that she was an ignorant woman and questioned her political knowledge and leadership capabilities (Blain,48). I believe this is why she is not as well-known as other American Civil Rights Activists. People don’t believe that someone who is uneducated can rise to power and want to help others better themselves. In today’s world of 2024, we can still see police brutality amongst African …show more content…
She explains her experience at the Democratic National Convention in 1964 “They beat me till my body was hard, till I couldn’t bend my fingers or get up when they told me to. That’s how I got this blood clot in my left eye – the sight is nearly gone now. And my kidney was injured from the blows the gave me in the back” (Blain, 31). Hamer’s story is like those of today where black people could just be driving to work, getting something from a convenience store, sleeping in their own home protecting themselves, or an inmate in jail; you could end up with serious injuries to your body or even death. Fannie Lou Hamer’s story is impactful and one that should be taught more in schools; Her willingness to fight for what’s right and learn new things that she hadn’t heard about is inspiring to those who haven’t heard of her before. Hamer’s experiences and religion are what shaped her political role during the American Civil Rights Movement. What she has faced in her life is not something easy or something that anyone could do; she went against the norm and created new ideas for those who weren’t knowledgeable on such topics as the power of