Fannie Lou Hamer

Born into a sharecropping family in Mississippi, Fannie Lou Hamer spent much of her early years working in the cotton fields. In 1962, she joined the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, where she led voting drives and relief efforts. In 1964, she co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and ran for Congress, gaining national attention for their cause at that year's Democratic Convention. Hamer remained active in her advocacy despite her declining health, continuing her work until her death in 1977.