The Case of Three Missing Activists

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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The blog post for this week is a little different from the ones we have done in the past. It is about the disappearance of Mickey Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andy Goodman. All three of these men were civil rights activists. This story took place during a time when the Klu Klux Klan was growing in members and was a very active organization. The KKK burned down many churches, one of which was Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Neshoba County, Mississippi. The KKK also beat people who had a meeting held there. Schwerner worked there but was out of town. After hearing news about the burning, Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney all drove over to investigate what remained. While driving there the three were pulled over. Chaney was arrested for speeding, and the others were arrested for possible involvement in the burning. After being arrested, the three men were released and asked to leave town immediately. While leaving, the three men were being followed by a gang of white men and were pulled over to a nearby gravel road where they were shot, killed, and buried. Their bodies were found roughly forty days after they went missing. 

Mickey Schwerner and James Chaney worked for the Congress of Racial Equality, while Andy Goodman was a student who was part of the Mississippi Summer Project. All three were associated with the Council of Federated Organizations. Schwerner had a wife, Rita, who used this case to help bring attention to victims of racial violence who were overlooked. They wanted to make a difference just like others who fought for civil rights. 

It is hard to answer whether or not I would join a cause if I knew I was risking my life because I have not been in the situation before. Personally, I do not think I would because I do not think I could risk my life. These men were so brave to fight for what they believed in, even though they knew what could and would eventually happen. I just do not think I could do it after reading so many brutal stories like this one.

( Info from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/freedomsummer-murder/ AND https://mscivilrightsproject.org/neshoba/event-neshoba/the-murder-of-chaney-goodman-and-schwerner/ ).

 
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March book 3 The Bombing of 16th Street First Baptist

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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When reading pages 1-61 I felt like there were many things that stood out to me. To start off the main thing that stood out to me was the bombing of 16th Street First Baptist Church in Birmingham AL. The reason why I feel like this event stood out is because even though some of the blacks lost loved ones and family members, I feel like they were able to stick together to fight for what they loved. I felt that this was a very important event because as a college student I realized that even today everyone has to fight for what they want and need no matter how many obstacles it takes to succeed.
Growing up as a little girl there were many things my grandmother had to sacrifice for her children and also grandchildren. I feel like my grandmother had to fight many obstacles to get her in the peaceful place she’s in now. Growing up my grandmother didn’t really have anything for her just because of the environment she lived in. My grandmother had to pray many times to keep pushing through hard times because she knew that one day, she was going to be in the perfect place she always wanted.
The reason I felt like talking about my grandmother and the people during the bombing of the 16th Street First Baptist Church is because even though neither my grandmother nor the people of the bombing had much, they had to look in a positive direction to where they could change minds of other in the future no matter if they succeeded the first time or not. Also, both topics I talked about didn’t let anything hold them down no matter how many people tried to hurt them for them to give up.
Compared to then and now I feel like the news back then was very unequal. The reason I say that is because there were mainly only black being targeted no matter if they did anything or not. Back then I feel like whites got away with a lot of hate crimes just because of how privileged they were. Therefore, I feel that news has gotten a lot better with getting both sides of a story to where it’s like 50/50 of information being provided. I also feel like news now has made people realize how real life really is and how people can make the world a better place by using their voice instead of hiding their voice.
When looking at the choices the characters made in the book, I feel that their choices were worth it because they chose to fight for what they wanted for the future. I feel like they wanted their voice to be heard and remembered through all the pain and suffering they went through.
If I had to be a character in the book it would most likely be the police officers. I chose the police officers because I felt like they never sat and listened to what was going on around them. One thing I would change to make it a better situation would be putting myself in the protester shoes to understand the pain they’re going through just to have freedom and to live a better life like the whites at the time.

 

Diving into March Book Two

Engl 165-07 Fall '20

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It was February 1961 in Nashville, Tn and the movie playing was Cecil B Demille’s, The Ten Commandments NTS. Tennessee was a southern state during the freedom riders act against segregation.

In this scene people of color were denied the right to movie tickets at a majority white theatre to see a christian movie about the Ten Commandments. As they were refused the right to tickets they would continuously get back in line for another chance. The tactic being used by the workers of the ticket booth was derived from students in Texas. The ticket booth workers would say that they started stand ins a segregated theatre’s. After, this interaction they would march back to the end of the line to try again. When doing do some bystanders would make fun of them for marching related to civil rights march.

This scene demonstrated some of what we have been seeing in Richmond with the movements for the monuments. Individuals are being mocked for doing what they want and standing up for what they believe in. It is unfair for individuals to be denied the right to attend or do something and then get made fun of for trying. Standing up for what you believe in and continuing to try is important because one day you will make a change and even be the leader of change that other people will look up too.

 
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