By LOIS KINDLE
February is Black History month, and there are lots of events going on to celebrate the many contributions of African Americans and their role in the history of the United States.
Here in Apollo Beach, Girls of the World Inc. observed the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, the child of a Mississippi sharecropper who grew up in poverty, became a sharecropper herself and rose to become a powerful voice and leader in the fight against segregation and American civil rights and voting rights movements.
Kendall Harold, 10, is proud of the I Voted sticker she received for “voting” in an actual voting booth provided by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office Feb.10 as part of a Black History month lesson on voting and voting rights.
Part of the Girls of the World Black History month observance included learning about Fannie Mae Hamer, the child of a Mississippi sharecropper who grew up in poverty, became a sharecropper herself and rose to become a powerful voice and leader in the fight against segregation and in the American civil rights and voting rights movements
According to historical accounts, her testimony at a Congressional credentials hearing in 1964 was feared by President Lyndon Johnson more than that of Martin Luther King. When it was her turn to speak, Johnson called an impromptu, inconsequential press conference to preempt televised coverage of her fiery narrative, which included an account of how she and 17 other African Americans were blocked from registering to vote in Mississippi and how she was arrested, beaten and terrorized in her jail cell. Johnson’s politically motivated move backfired on him when the major networks later aired her testimony and continued to do so for days after the hearing. She was one of the founders of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
Teenager Natalia Dorfield, a member of Girls of the World Inc., “votes” in an actual voting booth provided by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office Feb.10 as part of a Black History month lesson on voting and voting rights.
Girls of the World is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization empowering girls and young women through mentorship to pursue their life goals and overcome obstacles with self-confidence and skill.
“We talked about and watched You-Tube videos about her, and then the girls discussed how they would have felt had they lived back then,” said Lea Manningham, Girls of the World founder. “Only two of the girls had ever heard about Hamer.
“We also talked about how despite their right to vote, many people don’t and how important it is to become educated to do so,” she said.
Manningham reviewed petitions and their purpose and the reasons to participate, especially when it comes to issues you believe in. She arranged for Emily Popson, outreach manager for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office to come set up two voting booths on Feb. 10 and speak to the 45 girls who participated about election laws and various ways to vote. She also played a Jeopardy-style, voting-themed game with them.
The next day all of the girls stood in line and “voted” in the ballot boxes, answering questions on subjects they had researched ahead of time. The girls ranged in age from 8 to 17.
Emily Popson, outreach manager for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, left, looks on as teens in the Girls of the World program in Apollo Beach await their turns to go into one of two voting booths Popson set up to teach them about voting. A total of 45 girls, ages 8 to 17, participated.
“They loved it,” Manningham said. “They lined up outside our office building to patiently wait their turns to vote, and then each one received an “I Voted” sticker.”
Manningham also created a challenge for the girls to look up the candidates for the 2024 elections and report back to her on who’s running. The purpose, she said, was for them to continue learning about elections and voting. Their incentive is the chance to win a $50 gift card.
LEA MANNINGHAM PHOTOS
Girls of the World members, ages 13 to 17, gather for a group photo after they all “voted” Feb. 10 and received I Voted stickers, thanks to Emily Popson, left, outreach manager for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, who brought out two voting booths for them to use during a special Black History month lesson.
In March, in observance of Women’s History Month, Girls of the World members will be asked to write a 500-word essay on a woman who inspires them. The winning essay will be framed and its author given a gift card for an as-of-yet undisclosed amount. Participation is optional.
For more information on Fannie Lou Hamer, visit www.archives.gov or search on YouTube for videos.
For information on Girls of the World Inc., go to girlsoftheworldinc.com or call (813) 810-1396.