Lost Women of the Civil Rights Movement

When you think of the black Civil Rights Movement, men like Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X and Jesse Jackson come to mind.

And, when it comes to remembering the women involved, our recollection is limited to iconic figures like Rosa Parks.

But there were thousands of women who played a role in reshaping American society.

Daisy Bates, advisor and guide for the Little Rock Nine. Claudette Colvin, the first woman to resist bus segregation.

Viola Liuzzo dedicated her entire life to the Civil Rights Movement.

A California native, young Liuzzo moved around the country with her parents, wherever work was available, until she married at age 16. Five marriages and five children later, Liuzzo’s life changed forever after seeing horrific images of “Bloody Sunday,” a protest led by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and Rev. Hosea Williams that resulted in brutal attacks from law enforcement and locals.

Nine days later, Liuzzo joined a protest at Wayne State University in Michigan.

When it was over, while driving home with 19 year-old student Leroy Moton, a car with four Klan members – one of whom was an FBI informant – pulled up next to Liuzzo’s car and shot her twice, killing her.

Before her passing, Liuzzo pushed for the legislation to give African Americans the right to vote. Five months after her death, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed.

What makes Viola Liuzzo’s story unique?

She was a white woman fighting for the rights of all people. In one of her last conversations with her husband, she told him the struggle was “everybody’s fight.”

Bonus PINK Link: These women lived by their passions. Here’s how you can too.

Which women of the Civil Rights Movement stand out most to you?

By Shaina Ali

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminshes fear.” Rosa Parks