The Legacy of the Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
I always loved history. As a child, I loved listening to my elders retelling historical events they witnessed. They told me about the Great Depression, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement.
I found the Civil Rights Movement fascinating. It was interesting because I knew of many unsung heroes. They were involved in the protests but never got the credit they deserved. That even included some of the people in my family.
My grandparents Legacy
My maternal grandparents and their children were a part of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. My grandmother was involved in the movement more than my grandfather.
She was a domestic worker. Her boss was less likely to fire her because she was active in the Civil Rights movement. Two of her children were involved. They were involved in passing out flyers and spreading the word about meetings. My grandmother would attend meetings about Voting Registration at her local church.
The pastor and elders of the church held meetings in the Voter Registration Campaign organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. They would train people on what to do when registering to vote. After many months of training, the protestors then marched down to vote.
The Civil Rights leaders would lead the group downtown. They hoped the local government leaders would allow them to vote. Civil Rights Leaders also thought it would be nonviolent. They were not only denied the right to vote but had a violent mob ready to attack. Their mob's goal was to kill anyone who tried to vote that day.
The National Guard came to stop the violence. Dr. King decided not to hold the events because of threats the Klan were making. This is one of the many events my family was involved in.
I will remember this historical event the most. I tell it as long as I live because of how much danger they were in. They did not care because they wanted equal rights.
Hearing my family retell the events, inspired me to earn my history degree. I wanted to hear other people's story and record it. My dream finally came true when I got an internship that allowed me to interview people involved in the Civil Rights Movement.
Hearing the stories of Civil Rights Activists
The people I interviewed were young. Most were fourteen or fifteen years old when they protested local businesses that did serve colored people (the term they used for African American people then). One told me how he came home from the war and could not eat at lunch counters but fought for his country.
One younger person mentioned how he saw crosses burning in one local civil rights leader's yard. The sight of the seeing the crosses burning that night terrified him.
A lot of people I interviewed were emotionally scarred by the memories of violence and loss they experienced for being involved in the movement.
These people put their lives on the line. They wanted a better life for themselves and the next generation. They also wanted a better world for themselves. I can’t stop voting after so many lost their lives for doing the same thing.
For the Future Generation
I am proud and happy for what they did. My family told me about the protests and violence that took place in various local communities. These are personal because they involve my family.
Their stories are still on my mind and in my heart. They became even more real when I interviewed various people from other places. I learned about their experiences and contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
On my blog, I will share books I have read that talk about the Civil Rights Movement. I will share some of the interviews I have done as well. I want to shed light on those unsung heroes of the movement.
Get to Know about the Civil Rights Movement
While interviewing people about the Civil Rights movement, I learned about Golden Frinks. He was active in the movement my grandparents were involved in.
Golden Frinks was a civil rights leader in Edenton, North Carolina. Frinks was the first field secretary for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was named National Field Secretary during Dr. King's tenure. Frinks earned nicknames "the Great Agitator" and "Mr. Civil Rights." In the next few weeks, I will share more about his legacy.
Conclusion:
My hope is to let others know about the significance of these events. How important it was to have equal rights. I also want people to know about the people who help make it happen.
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