“We Aren’t Going to Close Up”: The History of FCM in Humphreys County
MHS Event
Christina Thomas, Center for Civil Rights History and Research, University of South Carolina
Comment: Rachel Devlin, Rutgers University
This seminar will workshop a work in progress.
The event is virtual and free of charge.
This paper examines the early history of Friends of Children of Mississippi (FCM) in Humphreys County, located in the Delta. Through the testimonies of Black women employed by the program, it details the emergence of this grassroots, antipoverty program and their self-determination to have an educational program of their own.
Founded in 1966 as an advocacy group, FCM adopted a model of organizing established by the Movement and its predecessor, CDGM. Transitioning to an educational program, the organization remained unfunded for its first eighteen months due to attacks from state officials against Head Start. Yet even without federal support, FCM served nearly 2,000 children in six counties.
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The virtual seminar begins at 5:00 PM and will be hosted on the video conference platform, Zoom. Registrants will receive a confirmation message with attendance information.
If you have any questions about the program or accessibility needs, please contact Cassie Cloutier at ccloutier@masshist.org.
