The fight for voting rights has been long and hard-fought, led by courageous women who understand that democracy is strongest when every voice is heard. One notable period of female advocacy and leadership was during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s.  

While the contributions of men in the Civil Rights Movement have been widely documented, women’s contributions are often overlooked. Figures like Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Diane Nash, and Gloria Richardson were as vital as men like Martin Luther King Jr. And John R. Lewis in securing voting access. Like their male counterparts, they often did so at great personal risk. Their stories remain deeply relevant today, as many of the barriers they fought against have persisted or resurfaced in new forms, reminding us that vigilance in protecting voting rights is as critical as ever. 

Fannie Lou Hamer 

The fight for voting rights was deeply personal for many women in the movement. Fannie Lou Hamer, a sharecropper from Mississippi, experienced firsthand the brutal consequences of attempting to register to vote. Even after being jailed, evicted from her home, fired from her job, and severely beaten because of her activism, she refused to be silenced.  

In 1964, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) to challenge the all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention. Standing before a televised audience, she delivered a searing testimony about the violence and intimidation Black voters faced, famously asking, “Is this America?” Though the MFDP was ultimately denied official recognition, Hamer’s fearless advocacy forced the Democratic Party to confront its segregationist policies and paved the way for future reforms. 

Ella Baker 

A brilliant strategist and organizer, Ella Baker believed in cooperative, grassroots people-power over top-down leadership. She played a pivotal role in organizing the 1955–56 Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was inspired by the activism of another woman leader, Rosa Parks. The boycott launched a local reverend named Martin Luther King Jr. into national prominence. Yet as proud as she was of King’s trajectory, Baker was more interested in building collective power on the ground than elevating herself or any other singular figures to popularity.  

In 1960, Baker founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), one of the most influential youth-led organizations of the Civil Rights Movement. She encouraged students to take charge of their activism, famously advising them, “Strong people don’t need strong leaders.” Her belief in decentralized leadership ensured that everyday people had the tools to advocate for their rights. This approach remains central to organizations like the League of Women Voters, which educates, defends, and mobilizes voters to navigate ever-changing election laws and attacks on voting rights. 

Diane Nash 

Diane Nash led the Freedom Rides (a nonviolent, student-led protest to desegregate bus travel) and the sit-in movement (nonviolent protests to desegregate lunch counters). She understood that voting rights were key to dismantling systemic oppression.  

As a student at Fisk University in Nashville, Nash played a key role in organizing the first successful desegregation of a major Southern city’s lunch counters in 1960. But her work didn’t stop there. During the Freedom Rides, Nash refused to back down even after riders faced brutal beatings and imprisonment. When the federal government suggested calling off the Freedom Rides for safety reasons, Nash and her fellow activists recruited a new wave of students to continue the journey, forcing the Kennedy administration to take action. As a result of their advocacy, the President sent federal marshals for protection and pressured the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce the desegregation of interstate travel facilities, leading to a nationwide ban on segregation in bus and train stations, restrooms, and lunch counters.  

Nash’s persistence helped lead to the desegregation of interstate travel. Nash later turned her focus to voting rights, working to secure Black voter registration in the Deep South. 

Gloria Richardson 

Gloria Richardson, a leader in the Cambridge Movement in Maryland, took a more confrontational approach to civil rights than many of her contemporaries. She was among the few women leading a grassroots movement that successfully negotiated with the federal government. In 1963, amid rising racial tensions in Cambridge, Maryland, she helped broker an agreement known as the “Treaty of Cambridge” with the Kennedy administration. The Treaty desegregated public facilities, improved housing, and expanded employment opportunities for Black residents.  

Unlike many civil rights leaders of the time, Richardson openly endorsed self-defense, arguing that nonviolence should not mean submission to brutality. A famous photo captures her pushing away a National Guardsman’s rifle, symbolizing her defiant stance against oppression. Though her direct-action tactics were controversial, they pressured lawmakers to act, making the broader civil rights movement’s demands more palatable to mainstream audiences. 

Like those of Hamer, Baker, and Nash, her legacy highlights the diverse strategies that fueled the push for voting rights and broader equality. 

Lasting Legacies 

The legacies of these remarkable women extended far beyond the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. Fannie Lou Hamer continued her fight for economic justice, co-founding the Freedom Farm Cooperative to help Black farmers gain economic independence. She remained active in grassroots organizing until her passing in 1977. Today, her tireless advocacy is honored through scholarships, voting rights initiatives, and continued efforts to empower marginalized communities. 

Ella Baker remained a mentor and strategist for civil rights organizations well into the 1980s. She focused on empowering the next generation of activists and was a staunch supporter of economic justice and anti-apartheid movements. Although she passed away in 1986, her philosophy of grassroots leadership continues to shape movements for justice and democracy worldwide. 

Diane Nash remains active in social justice advocacy, speaking out about contemporary issues and reminding activists that the fight for justice is ongoing. She continues to inspire new generations of leaders with her unwavering dedication to nonviolent resistance and democratic engagement. 

Gloria Richardson shifted her focus to economic justice and housing rights in later years, advocating for policies that addressed systemic inequality. She was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment until her passing in 2021. Her defiance and refusal to accept incremental change left a lasting impact on the movement for racial justice. 

A Call to Action  

In recent years, many protections won by women like Hamer, Baker, Nash, and Richardson have been weakened. The Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states with histories of discrimination to enact restrictive laws without federal oversight. This has led to measures like strict voter photo ID laws, poll closures in predominantly Black communities, and voter roll purges that disproportionately impact communities of color, young voters, and low-income individuals. 

Just as the women above fought against literacy tests, poll taxes, and violent intimidation, the League continues to oppose modern voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, and restrictions on voter registration. The fight for fair elections is ongoing, and history has shown that when people organize, change is possible. 

The legacies of Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Diane Nash, and Gloria Richardson remind us that the struggle for voting rights is far from over. Efforts to restrict voting access today mirror many of the obstacles faced during the Civil Rights Movement. But just as they refused to back down, we at the League of Women Voters will continue our work by staying engaged, educating voters, and advocating for policies that protect the fundamental right to vote.