...than the image. This shot was taken in my mother-in-law's living room. It's not hard to see that she has an affinity for the First Family. Her support, however, rests in a different world of reasoning than most 50+ African Americans. It's easy to say that she witnessed the Civil Rights Movement first hand and that is the reason she gravitated towards Barack Obama. It's easy to say that she voted simply because she was Black and supporting a Black candidate. It's easy to assume that she is one of the many silver-aged African Americans who claim credit for the tireless and persistent work of the few who constantly marched, protested, and risked their well-being for equality. The truth is, her connection to this historical moment runs deeper. Here's a quick history lesson:
Herbert Lee was a farmer in the small town of Liberty, Mississippi, the seat of Amite County. He was not a very literate man but did well enough to support a wife and nine children. Herbert was a stand up citizen and a stand out African American. He was the only man in town with a car and an active member of the NAACP. During the height of the voters' rights movement in Mississippi, Herbert would drive from house to house with other activists in an effort to convince other African Americans in Amite county to register and vote. Not known as a state of tolerance, White citizens warned Herbert to cease with what they deemed to be his "agitating." Herbert was not easily intimidated and continued to fight the good fight until he was murdered by E.H. Hurst, a white member of the state legislature. Herbert Lee was Irma Lee Robinson's fathers, my wife's mother. She voted because her father died giving her the right to do so. She voted for Obama because he encompassed a significant milestone in the ongoing fight that her father made the ultimate sacrifice for.
1 comments: