Freedom Summer Protests

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Voting is something many adults take for granted, yet back in the 60’s and before, it was something not for all. The Freedom Summer protests were a way to let African Americans have their voting rights. During the summer of 1964, many people went down to Mississippi to help African Americans living in poorer conditions who weren’t allowed to vote. The people who were in power had put hard tests in their way, which Whites didn’t have to take. The Freedom Summer Protests were a defining moment in voting rights. However, as our times change, people's opinions do to causing them to worry about it’s legacy and the laws left behind. Freedom Summer was more than just voting rights in Mississippi, as it had roots to help everything. It was started …show more content…
Most of the workers were volunteer students, and three of them were killed by members of the KKK; after an ensuing FBI manhunt for the bodies, the criminals were tracked down. Yet this event scarred the Nation, as it showed the brutality of the racist Segregationists, however, the workers prevailed, since they knew they had to help. “Although there was some fear, civil rights workers moved beyond that fear and made Freedom Summer a success” (Mitchell). Finally, out of the sweat and tears of the volunteers, Freedom Summer was a victory, and it helped shape the legislature to come. “Voter registration drives brought national attention to the subject of black disenfranchisement, and this eventually led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act” (Freedom Summer). The events that came out may have been sad, yet they provided an image to the public, and would change the way it was all …show more content…
The small towns in which violence happened remember it to this day. While many have reformed, “the white-majority town of Philadelphia reelected James Young, its first black mayor, to a second term” (Fentress), others hold it as an open wound. These are steps forward are encouraging, it was only two decades ago in which people wanted to avoid the deaths. One official wanted to apologize, yet people weren’t so compliant, “do you have to hack off every white person in the state” (Fentress). Another problem, that was resolved later on, was with changes in policy. Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act has been going through changes, and some argued it wasn’t needed anymore. Overall, while some fight over the laws, it’s refreshing to hear that people can get over problems of the
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