"I'm Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired" - It's Hamer-Time!
Born in 1917 in segregated Mississippi, Fannie Lou Hamer grew up knowing the cruel injustices of racism firsthand. Yet in the fires of oppression, her activism and moral courage were forged. This Women’s History Month, we celebrate Hamer’s tireless fight for civil rights and her enduring call to action. Please scroll to the bottom of this blog to watch a video to learn more about Hamer and the way she continues to inspire today.
Brutally beaten in a Mississippi jail in 1963 for simply trying to exercise her right to vote, Hamer rose from that brutality to lead the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Despite death threats, she boldly testified before the Credentials Committee at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, bringing the reality of Southern voter suppression to the nation’s attention. She helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971.
Continuing to speak truth to power, Hamer provided food, housing, and daycare to those in need in her local community until her death in 1977 at just 59 years old.
More than four decades later, Hamer’s moral clarity continues to inspire womanists and civil rights activists today. As Women’s History Month asks us to reflect on the changemakers of the past, Hamer’s courageous fight for enfranchisement and racial justice stand as a timeless call to action.
In celebrating trailblazers like Fannie Lou Hamer, we uphold the responsibility she passed on to us - to carry forth her legacy of “sick and tired of being sick and tired” by tirelessly demanding civil rights and dignity for all people. More than celebrating the past, honoring Hamer’s activism means re-forging and wielding it to continue bending the arc toward justice today.
Join us in honoring this legacy by mobilizing the vote and speaking out against injustice.
It's Hamer-Time!
Amanda Golden-Peace, The Misogynoir to Mishpat (M2M) Research Network © 2024