Keisha N. Blain, Ph.D.

In my latest article for MSNBC, I discuss the life and legacy of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer:

It’s hard to imagine there even being a Voting Rights Act without Fannie Lou Hamer, a working-poor, disabled Black woman who joined the civil rights movement at 44. With her unsurpassed bravery and skillful use of public testimony, Hamer captured the attention of millions of Americans and helped push President Lyndon B. Johnson into action. In recognition of Women’s History Month and in response to the ongoing assault on voting rights, it’s important to remember Hamer on the anniversary of her death on March 14, 45 years ago in the Mississippi Delta.