Part 1: A summer of fear and triumph
Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 of a series The E-T has compiled commemorating 55 years since Freedom Summer 1964. Freedom Summer represented a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, and many of the battles fought for equality were waged right here in Sunflower County.
Challenging an unjust political structure and a segregated South, what later became known as Freedom Summer held the promise of a better Mississippi.
During the summer of 1964, black Mississippians and predominately white out-of-state volunteers, who were mostly college students, came together to break barriers of the Deep South.
Many of the groundbreaking actions took place in Sunflower County. The stories of Freedom Summer are a significant part of Mississippi’s history.
In 1961, less than 7% of black Mississippians were registered to vote. Freedom Summer aimed to increase black voter registration, teach literacy and civics in Freedom Schools and promote the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP).
The nonviolent efforts of Freedom Summer were challenged with violent opposition that included bombings, beatings, arrests, fires, shootings and even deaths. The world watched as the events of the summer unfolded.
Freedom Summer was a key component in the Civil Rights Movement by civil rights groups such as the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) by aiding the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Part 1 of this series tells the stories of a Freedom Summer Foot Soldier, a Freedom Summer witness and a Freedom School teacher in their own words.
Charles McLaurin
Charles McLaurin, a civil rights activist who served as campaign manager and close friend of Fannie Lou Hamer, recounts the opposition he faced from the Mayor of Indianola.
In the latter part of 1962, McLaurin went door-to-door asking black Mississippians about voting and about their living conditions.
His quest led him to the mayor’s office in search of a map of Indianola and an unpleasant encounter with the Mayor of Indianola reassured McLaurin of his purpose in the Delta. After knocking on the slightly open door of the mayor’s office, McLaurin walked in.
“As I was turning around, this man came in, and said ‘What you want n****r?’” said McLaurin.
Puzzled and unaware of his surroundings in the then unfamiliar town of Indianola, McLaurin was careful to react.
“He said ‘I heard about y’all up there in Ruleville,’” said McLaurin. “Let me tell you this right now, there ain’t gone be no run thangs, take over n****r in this town.’”
As McLaurin turned to look, the Mayor pulled a thirty eight caliber gun from his drawer. As he turned to walk away, he was kicked by the Mayor, McLaurin said.
Mclaurin remembers telling the Mayor “You’ll see me again, you are going to reap what sow.”
Stacey White
Irene Magruder faced opposition as the first person to open her home to Freedom Summer volunteers.
“During that time period, my sister and I were very young,” said Stacey White, great niece of Irene Magruder. “We didn’t understand what was going on, so when we would go to her home, we would just see people camped out, different races, some would be on the floor, some would be in the kitchen , some would be in the living room and then maybe a few days later we wouldn’t see the same people and we would see other people.”
As a child, White witnessed the positive interaction of Freedom Summer.
“I saw the Freedom Summer volunteers and also the local people,” said White. “I saw them all working together for a common good and that just shows what people are able to do when they come together to help bring about positive change”
She also witnessed the terror that the activists faced. On May 1, 1965, Irene Magruder and four other homes were firebombed. Without much assistance from the fire department, Magruder’s home was burned to shambles.
Fortunately, Magruder had traveled to Greenville to purchase homeowners insurance after her insurance in Indianola was unexpectedly cancelled.
“When it was firebombed her home was a wooden home and she rebuilt it brick,” said White. “So out of a bad situation came something good for her.”
Chris Hextar
Freedom School teacher, Chris Hextar, found himself on the wrong side of Mississippi’s laws as a civil rights activist.
Hextar came to Mississippi from the University of Wisconsin. He spent most of his weeks in Indianola at the Freedom School that was once located on Jefferson Street before it was firebombed. Hextar recalls being arrested three times during Freedom Summer.
“When you were arrested in Mississippi back then that could be very frightening,” said Hextar.
Hextar was arrested in Drew while trying to persuade a group of men to vote while in front of a church.
Hextar and other Freedom Summer volunteers were asked to leave after the minister of the church received a call from the landowner threatening to shut the church down. Hextar and other volunteers then proceeded to walk on the sidewalk where they were arrested for blocking the sidewalk.
“There were no people to block but that’s what we were charged with” said Hextar.
Hextar was arrested on his birthday for giving out pamphlets about a play the Freedom School was hosting.
“Somebody asked for a brieflet and I handed one to her,” said Hextar. “Promptly I was arrested.”
Hextar was never arrested before or after Freedom Summer.
