Last Name 1
Samuel Bautista
Mr. Garcia
HIST-1302-V22
April 26, 2021
The Summer of Freedom
Americas southern states during the summer of 1964, where white supremacist
that were looking to suppress and quiet the African community. Aside from committing a
felony for suppressing the black communities vote by keeping them from registering to
vote or to cast a vote, this was sone by means of physical violence and murder.
In addition to this the African American community was being tormented and
prosecuted by still being segregated and having their homes and churches be victims of
arson and bombing as well as shootings, these methods where use for a long time with
the help of the law enforcement by helping or covering it up.
These actions of terror and oppression had gone unnoticed by the rest of the country,
this was until a man by the name Bob Mosses decided to do something about it. In the
summer of 1964, he decided to act by soliciting the help of white college kids that
wanted to take action against these racist acts. Since the country would not bother
doing anything or even notice the issues and concerns the black community faced and
with their civil rights held hostage by fear of loosing their lives. Mosses decided to make
the country be forced to look and pay attention by using the community that the country
would care about, the young white community. Mosses knew that if he could create an
army of educated white kids to help educate the black community on their rights and
became a shield of protection against white supremacy, the African American
community would not feel alone and would be protected, the reason being that if ten
African American kids where hanged or publicly shot no one would demand action
towards murders, but if one white college kid was kidnapped, or killed, it could grasp the
attention of the country and turn their head to the issue at hand.
College kids all over America had started signing up the summer of freedom, an event
where white people all over the country would travel to Mississippi to educate the
African community on their rights to vote, register voters, and above all, show support
for their voice and community. The people planning this event knew this would be no
summer camp, there would be backlash from the white locals such as beating, murder,
kidnapping or damaging property, so before anyone was deployed to help, they had
gone under training preparing the how to act in case of a beating or other type of
aggression, as well on how to teach and register voters. These brave young men and
women were warned, and they still went to help those in need of a voice and
representation. All these warnings they were given became true, homes and churches
being used as freedom homes and schools were burned and bombed, young white fold
were beaten with sticks and shot at, but these college students where not backed down,
Last Name 2
instead they kept fighting because they had already been warned about the dangers
and opposition they would encounter.
Thanks to these brave black and white men and women that came together to fight for
their rights to vote being enforced and protected we still see their effect today, not only
did they inspire The Voting Rights Act of 1965, but the civil rights activist also inspired
future generations of different races to stand against the government and cities when
their security and rights have been violated, and for this the country is a better place.
Last Name 3
Citations
The summer of our discontent. (2010). Retrieved April 26, 2021, from
https://www.americanheritage.com/summer-our-discontent#5