Fannie Lou Hamer (October 6, 1917 – March 14, 1977) was a powerful voice in the Civil Rights Movement, renowned for her fight for voting rights and economic justice. Born into a sharecropping family of 20 children in Mississippi, she began laboring in cotton fields at age six and left school by age twelve. In 1962, at age 45, she joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and was fired after failing a literacy test This formative loss propelled her into full-time activism. She co-founded and served as vice-chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, delivering a moving testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention that exposed white supremacist policies and challenged the all-white delegation.

Hamer endured brutal beatings, arrests, and forced sterilization but her resolve remained unwavering. Her motto, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,” symbolized her resilience and moral urgency. Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025, Hamer’s legacy continues to inspire movements for justice and equality.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute

Become a paid subscriber to the Unhidden Minute Podcast for one year and receive a copy The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors 10th Anniversary Edition by James Edward Mills.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesedwardmills.substack.com/subscribe