6 Lesser-Known Black Civil Rights Activists Whose Stories You Need to Know

While luminaries like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are synonymous with the fight for civil rights, numerous other activists contributed profoundly to the movement’s successes yet remain largely unrecognized.

This article seeks to shed light on these lesser-known figures, whose bravery and determination were instrumental in challenging systemic injustices and advancing the cause of equality in America.

Profiled Individuals

Claudette Colvin

Months before Rosa Parks became a household name, a fearless 15-year-old girl named Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

On March 2, 1955, Colvin was arrested and became one of the four plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the court case that ultimately ended bus segregation in Montgomery.

Despite her pivotal role, Colvin’s story was overshadowed, partially because NAACP leaders thought Parks would be a more palatable figurehead for the movement.

Bayard Rustin

Bayard Rustin was a master strategist and the architect behind the iconic 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

An advisor to Dr. King and a fervent advocate for nonviolent protest, Rustin also faced discrimination as an openly gay man, which made his contributions all the more courageous.

His ability to navigate the complexities of activism and politics was instrumental in the execution and success of major civil rights demonstrations.

Septima Poinsette Clark

Dubbed “The Mother of the Movement,” Septima Clark developed the Citizenship Schools, which were critical in driving voter registration among Black Americans in the South.

These schools educated attendees in reading and writing, empowering them to pass voter literacy tests that were then required under Jim Crow laws. Her work laid a grassroots foundation that would prove crucial for the broader civil rights movement.

Fred Shuttlesworth

A fiery and resilient leader, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth endured numerous attacks and continued to fight for civil rights, despite significant personal risk.

He invited King to Birmingham, Alabama, believing that the hostile environment would garner national attention and help pressure the government into making changes.

His efforts culminated in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963, a critical turning point in the civil rights movement.

Diane Nash

A key figure in the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a leader of the Freedom Rides, Diane Nash’s strategic acumen and unwavering resolve were vital in desegregating interstate travel.

Her leadership in the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins also set a model for nonviolent resistance across the South.

Fannie Lou Hamer

Perhaps best known for her poignant declaration, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired,” at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Fannie Lou Hamer was a powerful voice for voting rights and agricultural rights.

A Mississippi sharecropper, Hamer’s emotional testimony about the violence and discrimination Black voters faced brought crucial national attention to the struggle for civil rights in the Deep South.