Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer was a civil rights campaign across Mississippi during the summer of 1964.
Freedom Day march
By 1964 only a small portion of eligible black residents in the Hattiesburg area were registered to vote, mostly due to laws designed to discourage or even prevent blacks from registering. A typical voter registration form required applicants to copy and interpret a section of the Mississippi state constitution chosen by the registrar (see a sample form below).
On January 22, 1964, a crowd of around 200 gathered in a light rain around the Forrest County courthouse. According to contemporary accounts the majority of the crowd was black, with a dozen or so white ministers from other (mostly northern) states participating as well. Four applicants were allowed inside the circuit clerk's office at a time. By noon on January 22, 16 had filled out applications.[1] By the end of the day a total of 36 people completed registration forms[2]. The voter registration drive and picket lines continued for the next few weeks, and over 300 people completed registration forms.[3]
Freedom Summer Trail
The Freedom Summer Trail is a series of locations in Hattiesburg that were important during the 1964 Freedom Summer. There are also audio guides for each location.
Markers
- True Light Baptist Church
- Hattiesburg Community Center
- St. James United Methodist Episcopal Church
- Hattiesburg Ministers Union
- Woods Guest House
- St. Paul United Methodist Church
- Hattiesburg Public Library
- Forrest County Courthouse
- Vernon Dahmer Memorial
- Morning Star Baptist Church
- Mount Zion Baptist Church
- Bentley Chapel United Methodist
- St. John United Methodist Church
- Priest Creek Missionary Baptist
- Palmer's Crossing Community Center
- Kennard-Washington Hall
External links
- Hattiesburg Freedom Trail homepage
- Photo of police moving towards the courthouse on Freedom Day
- Photo of protesters marching around the courthouse on Freedom Day
- Another photo of protesters marching around the courthouse on Freedom Day
- Another photo of protesters marching around the courthouse on Freedom Day
- Typical Mississippi voter registration form
Further reading
References
- ↑ "Voter registration drive begins here" by Elliott Chaze, Hattiesburg American, January 22, 1964
- ↑ "Pickets resume damp tramp," Hattiesburg American, January 23, 1964
- ↑ "Negro picket convicted of disobeying officer", Hattiesburg American, February 14, 1964