Civil Rights Movement

Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley: Defender and Pioneer of Black History Programs in Natchez, Mississippi

Theme and Time Period

More than anyone else, Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley has consistently and vigorously fought for the recognition of Natchez’s African American history, and his impact, according to writers and historians, is unmistakable.

Boxley has been a warrior for justice and human rights for most of his life. He has established himself as an author, civil rights activist, and historian of the African American history of Natchez.

Anne Moody (1940-2015) Civil Rights Activist and author of Coming of Age in Mississippi

Theme and Time Period

Anne Moody was a civil rights activist who became a widely known memoirist and chronicler of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi. Although raised in poverty, Anne rose above her limitations and bravely confronted the racism in her community and other parts of the state. In her fight for freedom, justice, and equality, Anne endured multiple incarcerations, physical violence, and death threats. She participated in non-violent protests and voter registration drives in bold efforts to dismantle segregation across the state.

The Civil Rights Movement in Natchez, Mississippi

Introduction

The oldest city in Mississippi, Natchez was a key site of the Civil Rights Movement in the state. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which terrorized Black people through bombings, beatings, and murder, was active throughout southwest Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s. Blacks were also treated unequally due to the Jim Crow system of discrimination. As a result of the work of Black leaders in the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez, the city and the state moved closer to establishing equal rights for all.

The Civil Rights Movement in Natchez, Mississippi

Theme and Time Period
The civil rights movement in Natchez, Mississippi, is a portrait of hate, hope, and heroism. The movement began during the segregated Jim Crow era when Blacks lived under the constant threat of racial violence and culminated with major concessions from the White establishment.

The Big Dreamer: James Meredith’s Fight for Integration

Theme and Time Period
Applying to the University of Mississippi on January 20, 1961, Meredith was immediately rejected after writing in his application that he was a Black man. Unwavering in his mission to be admitted, he reached out to Medgar Evers, field secretary for the NAACP.

Student Protest at Delta State College in March 1969

Theme and Time Period
Today, legal and institutionally supported racial segregation within places of higher learning feels like a thing of the past. Yet, integration and increased representation of students of color, especially Black students, did not come easily in the Mississippi Delta even after racial segregation was outlawed.

The Role of Lawyers in the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi

Theme and Time Period
In the early twentieth century, Black people in Mississippi who aimed to exercise their rights as citizens of the United States had few allies. State and local government officials, acting under the authority of the 1890 state constitution, blocked efforts by black citizens to vote and operated separate schools for White and Black children.
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