Freedom Summer, Pete Seeger News

Joseph Abdul

1/30/2014

Democracy Now: Freedom Summer & Pete Seeger News

REVISED

            The director of Freedom Summer, Stanley Nelson emphasized the role FS workers played in the 1964 elections in Mississippi. Bob Moses was the main activist of the event. He started looking into the issue of African American voting in 1961. Soon enough, he gathered about 1000 white supporters and went to the major towns of Mississippi to protest peacefully. Violence and chaos had erupted. Three of the activists, one of whom was white, were killed after a bombing. In one of the funerals, an activist named Dave Dennis gave an impressive speech that touched peoples’ emotions significantly. This applies to the material we are learning in the classroom. The tactic of powerful speeches is very effective when it comes to drawing the public’s attention to a particular issue. Fannie Lou Hamer, another activist, spoke in Atlantic City at the democratic delegation criticizing the fact that there were no Black representatives on the delegation because Whites did not allow it.

Contributing to 50% of the state’s population, African American votes would make a significant impact on the election. Freedom Summer workers formed safe booths for African Americans to vote safely. The movement would prove to the white population that the black community is interested in voting. It was usually said that Black people did not want to vote.

Less than 50 years ago, certain people were facing tremendous amounts of hardships to be able to vote. Today, everybody can vote safely, yet many don’t take advantage of their right to vote. The Director of the movie hopes that his production would inspire the younger generation to take their role in voting.

In more recent news, Pete Seeger, the long-time vocal activist passed away last week at 95 years of age. He advocated against government policies and Vietnam War. He acquired the attention by his strong words and the beat of his folk songs. Due to his communist ideology, he was black listed during the cold war. College campuses, where free speech is protected, accepted him with warmth. The government’s plan to suppress his movements had backfired. He became stronger than ever. In 2009, Seeger sang for the last time in public, along with Bruce Springsteen at the inauguration of president Obama. Seeger’s legacy will live for a long time. His strong techniques for social movements will not be forgotten.

 

Links to videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7E5wprwJec

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/1/28/we_shall_overcome_remembering_folk_icon