Septima Clark: Mother of Liberation

We don’t often hear about the role of women in the Civil Rights Movement. Mostly, we focus on amazing male leaders, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who were its spokespersons. However, there were women behind the scenes putting in the underappreciated, necessary work, like Septima Clark. She was faced with hardship after hardship, whether it be her early education, the discrimination she faced as a Black teacher, or a member of the then-controversial Civil Rights Movement. Nevertheless, she persevered and created something great, educating thousands through “Citizenship Schools.” By highlighting her innovative method of empowerment, through education, I hope to shed light on the power of a single vision.