- Sharkey
Mississippi Civil Rights Project
History of the 82 counties
PVCountyTitle
Background/History
There is no "Background/History" article currently associated with this county.
Media
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Documents
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People
People
Peter Boolens was an activist who, following graduation from medical school, moved to Cary, Mississippi, in Sharkey County and established a health center in 1972.
Charles Cobb was a political activist in Springfield, Massachusetts, through his church, St. John's United Church of Christ.
Hal Decell was the editor, publisher, and co-owner of the "Deer Creek Pilot", Sharkey County's newspaper of widest circulation, for thirty-nine years, including the civil rights era.
Sidney Alexander and his wife Fanny were natives of Sharkey County and rights activists.
Events
- Date of Event:February 1966
In February 1966, Lillie Willis and Sidney Alexander, natives of Sharkey County, filed suit alleging discrimination based on race and gender in the selection of jury members.
- Date of Event:January 29, 1965
On January 29, 1965, roughly thirty students at Henry Weathers High School (an all black public school in Issaquena County) began wearing SNCC paraphernalia to school.
Organizations
Freedom Schools were established by rights activists to provide high quality educators to underserved areas.
The NCC is a confederation of churches of various denominations that took part in lobbying Congress for civil rights reforms in the 1960s and '70s.
The Delta Ministry was formed by the NCC (National Council of Churches) in 1964 to hold grassroots training sessions for sharecroppers on the importance of voting, political activism, and community co
Newspaper published in Sharkey County beginning in the 1960s to cover civil rights issues and news.