Unita Blackwell
Unita Zelma Blackwell (March 18, 1933 – May 13, 2019) was an American civil rights activist who was the first African-American woman to be elected mayor in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Blackwell was a project director for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and helped organize voter drives for African Americans across Mississippi.
Quotes
[edit]- When the bossman says you go to the fields, everybody went to the fields; schools closed down.
- The more I heard about white people being so against it. the more I started thinking there must be something in this voting.
- Unita Blackwell Retrieved 18 April 2025
- …what happened outside the courthouse that day was the turning point in my life.
- I’m proof that things can change.
- Unita Zelma Blackwell (1933-2019) Retrieved 18 April 2025
- There's no job too big to benefit from a small town person's perspective, I discovered, just as there's no town too small for thinking big.
- The Legacy of Unita Blackwell Retrieved 18 April 2025
Quotes about Unita Blackwell
[edit]- We honor her as an ancestor for reminding us of the power to change the circumstances we were born into.
- Unita Blackwell epitomizes the power of community-based efforts and of Black women in the Civil Rights Movement to enact change at the local and regional level.
- Unita Zelma Blackwell (1933-2019) Retrieved 18 April 2025
- I am saddened by the passing of Unita Blackwell. She dedicated her life to fighting for civil rights in Mississippi. We are forever grateful for her work and sacrifice.
- Our hearts are heavy today after hearing the news that former Mayersville Mayor Unita Blackwell has passed. We are a better state for her determination to make Mississippi a more just place. She remains a role model for generations of women who serve in city halls, county courthouses and the Mississippi Capitol. Godspeed, Mayor Blackwell. We salute you.
- In Memoriam: She was the first black woman mayor in Mississippi Retrieved 18 April 2025
- Her leadership was also marked by a commitment to uplifting women and children, often neglected in the larger political landscape.
- She was a steadfast advocate for the rights of the disenfranchised and worked to create a more inclusive and just community.
- Blackwell’s work and legacy went beyond her local community. She became a vocal advocate for the inclusion of women and people of color in the broader political system, encouraging others to take leadership roles and fight for change.
- Unita Zelma Blackwell Retrieved 18 April 2025
