Skip to content

Fannie Lou Hamer — Testimony Before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention (1964)

Author/Source: Fannie Lou Hamer
Type: Primary source — televised testimony
Era/Period: USH Unit 6 — Civil Rights Era
ELA Standards: 9-10.R.9 · 9-10.R.8
USH Standards: US.6_12.4 · US.6_12.5
Copyright: Public domain (public congressional/DNC record)

What This Text Is About

Fannie Lou Hamer was a Mississippi sharecropper who became an influential voting rights activist during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. On August 22, 1964, she testified before the Credentials Committee of the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, about her arrest and beating for attempting to register to vote in Winona, Mississippi, just a year earlier. Her powerful testimony brought national attention to the struggles faced by African American voters and helped galvanize support for voting rights legislation.

Hamer's testimony was so impactful that President Lyndon B. Johnson called an emergency press conference to shift television coverage away from it. Despite this attempt to silence her, Hamer’s speech played a crucial role in highlighting the injustices experienced by black Americans during the civil rights era and contributed significantly to the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Read It

Public domain — key excerpts from the August 22, 1964 testimony.

"They had me lying on a table in the room, with my clothes torn off of me. They beat both sides of my head and choked me until I could not breathe. Then they brought another man who was standing by the door and he said: 'What did she say down at the jailhouse?' He hit me again over my mouth and across my face."

"We want all of us to be Americans, counted as citizens. We're going to stay right here in this land until Congress makes it possible for us the Negro people to vote. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Why This Text Matters

Fannie Lou Hamer's testimony is a crucial primary source that vividly illustrates the systemic racism and violence African Americans faced when trying to exercise their right to vote during the 1960s. Her courage in speaking out against injustice before the national media helped shift public opinion and galvanized political support for voting rights legislation. By sharing her personal experiences, Hamer humanized the broader struggle of civil rights activists and brought attention to the violent resistance they encountered.

Students should read this document to understand how one individual's voice can have a significant impact on social change and to appreciate the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. It also highlights the role of testimony as a powerful tool for advocacy and the influence media coverage can have on shaping public opinion during pivotal moments in history.

ELA Standards Connection

Standard Connection
9-10.R.9 Fannie Lou Hamer's testimony is an example of rhetoric used to convey personal experiences and advocate for civil rights, demonstrating the power of individual narrative in shaping public opinion.
9-10.R.8 The structure of Hamer’s speech includes vivid descriptions that help paint a clear picture of her experience, illustrating how literary devices like imagery can be effective in persuasive writing.
9-10.W.4 Students could write an argumentative essay analyzing the impact of Fannie Lou Hamer's testimony on public opinion and subsequent political actions taken to address voting rights issues.

Social Studies Connection

Fannie Lou Hamer’s testimony is directly connected to standards US.6_12.4 (Civil Rights Movement) and US.6_12.5 (Voting Rights Act). This document highlights key events such as the 1963 arrest in Winona, Mississippi, and the subsequent testimony before the Democratic National Convention on August 22, 1964. These events were instrumental in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Key Vocabulary

  • Sharecropper: A tenant farmer who works a plot of land in exchange for a share of the harvest.
  • Credentials Committee: An official group that determines which delegates are allowed to participate in political conventions.
  • Voting Rights Act (1965): Federal legislation signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, designed to eliminate discriminatory voting practices adopted in many Southern states after the Civil War.
  • Arrested: To be taken into custody by police for suspected criminal activity.
  • Beating: Physical assault often involving hitting or whipping.

Studio Ideas

  1. Write an argument referencing specific passages from Hamer's testimony that argue for her moral authority to speak about voting rights.
  2. Compare and contrast Fannie Lou Hamer’s strategy with Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail."
  3. Discuss how contemporary issues such as voter suppression relate to the historical context presented by Fannie Lou Hamer.

Pairs With

Why This Is Relevant Today?

Fannie Lou Hamer’s testimony remains relevant today as it speaks to ongoing debates and political events surrounding voting rights. Recent efforts to restrict access to polling places, limit early voting opportunities, and impose strict voter ID laws echo the obstacles faced by African American voters during the 1960s civil rights era. By understanding the historical context provided in Hamer’s testimony, students can better appreciate the continuity of these struggles and the importance of vigilance in protecting democratic freedoms.

Primary Source Collection · SDA Commons Reading Library · South High School