In August 1962, Fannie Lou Hamer was one of 18 people in Sunflower County, Mississippi, headed home from a dangerous mission: registering to vote. Before they could make it there, police pulled the bus over, and things got tense. But Hamer was packing a powerful weapon.
Police arrested the driver for driving a “too yellow” bus and detained everyone else. Some wondered what would happen next. Then, Hamer did what she did best. She opened her mouth and began to belt out a spiritual. Why was she singing at a time like this?
Her captivating voice rose above the chaos, calmed people’s spirits, and brought protective energy to a potentially deadly situation. Hamer sang spirituals like “This Little Light of Mine” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” It was about more than singing, though.
Hamer was unflappable. Whether singing or speaking powerful truths, she knew that the movement needed her voice, and she never backed down from using it, no matter the risks.
You don’t have to be Fannie Lou Hamer to use your voice to empower our people fearlessly. Whether your contributions are written, spoken, sung, or felt, we must all know we’re essential to liberation. We need your voice.