Fannie Lou Hamer

Date of Birth: October 6, 1917

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: March 14, 1977

Biography

Fannie Lou Hamer was a prominent American civil rights activist born on October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. She was the youngest of 20 children in a family of sharecroppers, and her early life was marked by hardship and poverty. Despite these challenges, Hamer emerged as a powerful voice for African Americans in the struggle for civil rights. Hamer’s activism began in earnest in the early 1960s when she became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). She faced brutal retaliation for her efforts, including being arrested and severely beaten in 1963 for encouraging African Americans to register to vote. Nonetheless, she remained undeterred and continued to work tirelessly for civil rights. One of Hamer’s most notable contributions was her role in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), which she co-founded in 1964. The MFDP challenged the legitimacy of Mississippi’s all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention, bringing national attention to the civil rights struggle in the South. Her impassioned speech at the convention, where she famously asked, “Is this America?” highlighted the injustices faced by African Americans and galvanized further support for the movement. Throughout her life, Hamer also worked on issues related to poverty and women’s rights. She helped establish the Freedom Farm Cooperative in 1969 to aid poor African American farmers. Fannie Lou Hamer passed away on March 14, 1977, in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, but her legacy as a tireless advocate for justice and equality endures.

5 Interesting Facts about Fannie Lou Hamer

1. Fannie Lou Hamer was sterilized without her knowledge or consent in 1961, a common practice against black women at the time, often referred to as a “Mississippi appendectomy.”

2. Her famous words, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,” became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement.

3. Hamer was an influential member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and worked closely with other civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ella Baker.

4. Despite facing severe beatings and imprisonment, she never wavered in her commitment to civil rights and continued to organize voter registration drives and other initiatives.

5. Hamer’s efforts in the MFDP led to the eventual seating of two members of the MFDP at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, a significant victory for the civil rights movement.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Fannie Lou Hamer

1. “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

2. “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

3. “You can pray until you faint, but unless you get up and try to do something, God is not going to put it in your lap.”

4. “When I liberate others, I liberate myself.”

5. “Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where we have to sleep with our telephones off of the hooks because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Fannie Lou Hamer’s work was primarily in activism and public service, and she did not accumulate significant personal wealth. Her focus remained on civil rights and community improvement rather than financial gain.

Children

Fannie Lou Hamer and her husband, Perry “Pap” Hamer, adopted two daughters, Dorothy Jean and Virgie Ree. They took in the children of a cousin who could no longer care for them, exemplifying Hamer’s commitment to family and community.