About the FLHI

Knowledge Transfer, Community Education and Engagement

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Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer was a powerful visionary, freedom fighter and committed leader for the Civil Rights Movement; she was a voice for Black people who had been excluded from the democratic process. Her battles in Mississippi for justice and inclusion are epic.

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The establishment of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Freedom Summer and the fight for Black inclusion open the doors of democracy and set the standard for real self-determination. Her voter registration and civic engagement campaigns are models still being practiced today.

 

The need to continue the legacy of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer and facilitate support for sharing knowledge and increasing community education and engagement has never been greater. Issues like improved education, income inequality, voter suppression, workers’ rights, police violence, mass incarceration, and the income gap are critical conditions impacting Black communities.

 

The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute is a knowledge transfer opportunity. The Black community has a wealth of history, experiences, and skills that can be shared with each other to refresh, reaffirm, and rebuild. Bringing that wealth together in a structured training that focuses on organizing, culture, values, impact, and organizational development is one element of the FLHI.

 

Another element of the Institute will be to make sure Black people have information, are educated and have a practical understanding to develop a Black vision, Black voice, and Black positions in relation to the critical issues.

 

Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer’s courage, fortitude, and commitment to racial and social justice have left a path for us to follow if we choose to take the steps.