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 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 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 External links Category:Mayors from the United States Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Women activists from the United States Category:Civil rights activists Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians Category:Politicians from Mississippi Category:1933 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Women born in the 1930s Category:20th-century African-American women