Fannie Lou Hamer ( ; Townsend ; October 6 , 1917 – March 14 , 1977 ) was an American voting and women 's rights activist , community organizer , and a leader in the civil rights movement . She was the co-founder and vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party , which she represented at the 1964 Democratic National Convention . Hamer also organized Mississippi 's Freedom Summer along with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ( SNCC ) . She was also a co-founder of the National Women 's Political Caucus , an organization created to recruit , train , and support women of all races who wish to seek election to government office
1964 Democratic National Convention
1964 Democratic National Convention
Fannie Lou Hamer