Day 19 - Fannie Lou Hamer

Particularly on this day, we remember and honor Fannie Lou Hamer, our namesake, and all-around SHEro. In 1968, Fannie Lou Hamer testified before the credentialing committee of the Democratic Party at its National Convention. 1968 insisting that the Mississippi Freedom Party be seated. Hamer questioned the loyalty of the Democratic Party to the Black Mississippian. 

Fannie Lou Hamer represented! She is an example of representational leadership, inserting oneself into a pool of folks that neither look like you nor understand you. The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute of Advocacy & Social Action was named to honor her work and her resilient spirit of representing Black people. After speaking with Mrs. Hamer’s daughter, Mrs. Vergie Hamer Faulkner, and receiving her blessings, we incorporated in the State of North Carolina and immediately began serving Black girls. Mrs. Hamer Faulkner remained a friend of the Institute until her death in October 2017. 

In 1962, Mrs. Hamer decided she wanted to try to register to vote after attending a SNCC voter registration meeting at William Chapel Church in Ruleville, MS.   After returning home, Mrs. Hamer was ordered to go and take her name off the registrar’s book.  If she refused to do so, she would have to move.  Refuse she did and move she did.

“I didn't go register for you, sir, I did it for myself”, Fannie Lou told her boss. Mr. W. D. Marlowe.  She was kicked off the plantation where she had lived for the past eighteen years.

Later, sixteen shots were fired into The Tuckers home over the bed Mrs. Hamer slept where she had fled for safety.  “God had already told me to move on, so I wasn’t there that night,” Mrs. Hamer said.

Mrs. Hamer’s passion for her people and her interest and understanding of how powerful the political process was in America led her and others to create the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge the Credential Committee in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1964 to be seated rather than the regular Democrats
who they exclaimed were "illegally elected" based on discriminatory practices against blacks statewide.  “We Will Not Accept The Compromise”, stated Mrs. Hamer.  She had consulted with Bob Moses and Mrs. Unita Blackwell and others prior.  Mr. Lawrence Guyot (Chairman MFDP) was in jail and couldn't make the trip.

President Johnson interrupted the nationally televised convention in order to keep Fannie Lou and her views from spreading like wildfire.  All of the major networks later ran her speech in its entirety and the whole country was spellbound to hear such convictions coming from a Southerner who felt she had nothing left to fear but fear itself.

"If the Freedom Democratic Party isn't seated today, I Question America", Fannie told the Credentials Committee.  "Is this America where we have to sleep with our phones off the hooks because we be threatened daily just cause we want to register to vote to become first class citizens".  

Mrs. Hamer’s efforts did not stop there.  She challenged Black Educators to “teach our children more about our history since school books left it out”.  She started a daycare center with the assistance of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) under the leadership of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height (President). Mrs. Hamer also, organized approximately, 640 acres of Freedom Farm land.

Fannie Lou Hamer's labor ceased at 5:15 p.m. on March 14, 1977 in Mound Bayou, MS due to Breast Cancer and complications from her jail house beating. Fannie Lou Hamer died at 59 years old. Her body riddled with heart disease and cancer. She put her body on the line for our freedom.  In her honor, our mission is to make walking a daily protest. Because Black women living is radical. 

Fannie Lou Hamer worked with and sought assistance from Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), National Association of Colored People (NAACP), The Delta Ministry and numerous others.  She was co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP).  It was the Delta Ministry under
the leadership of Mr. Owen H. Brooks along with Mr. Charles McLaurin and June E. Johnson that assured Mrs. Hamer a proper burial.

Mrs. Hamer was the recipient of many awards and honors.  She received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities from Tougaloo College and Shaw University.  She, also, received honorary degrees from Columbia College and Howard University.  Mrs. Hamer was honored with the National Sojourner Truth
Meritorious Service Award, The Paul Robeson Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Mary Terrell Award from Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.  Delta Sigma Theta made Mrs. Hamer an Honorary member of their sorority.

Click the links below to watch and learn more about Fannie Lou Hamer.

#FannieLouHamer #NobodysFreeUntilEverbodysFree #representationalleadership #31daysofrevolutionaryblackwoman #revolutionaryblackwomen #revolutionary #revolution