Freedom Summer 1964: Mississippi Voter Registration — Reading Comprehension

In 1964, a major campaign called Freedom Summer took place in Mississippi. The campaign was organized by civil rights groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Their goal was to increase African American voter registration in a state where fewer than 7% of eligible Black adults were registered to vote. Mississippi's long history of segregation and racist laws had excluded most Black citizens from political participation.

One main problem was that county officials used unfair literacy tests and threats to keep Black people from voting. African Americans who tried to register faced violence, economic retaliation, and even the possibility of being killed. As a solution, more than 1,000 volunteers—many of them white college students from the North—traveled to Mississippi to help. Their presence brought national attention to the problem of voter suppression.

The volunteers and local activists worked together, but they did not always agree on strategies. Some local leaders worried that white volunteers would overshadow Black leadership or attract more violence from segregationists. Others believed that the involvement of outsiders was necessary to bring national media coverage and federal government support. This shows the complexity and contradiction within the movement: while united in cause, people differed in approach.

Freedom Summer's organizers also created Freedom Schools. These schools taught children and adults about Black history, the Constitution, and basic literacy. The schools gave people courage and information to challenge unjust laws. One volunteer wrote, "We are here to help people stand up for their rights, even when the cost is high." This primary source quote shows the deep sense of purpose and risk involved.

The campaign faced tragic violence. In June 1964, three activists—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner—were murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Their disappearance and deaths shocked the nation and showed the dangerous resistance to change. Despite these dangers, more than 17,000 Black Mississippians tried to register to vote during Freedom Summer, though only about 1,600 were accepted by officials.

Freedom Summer had lasting consequences. It exposed the extreme racism in the South and influenced the federal government to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which banned unfair voting practices. However, it also left some activists disillusioned because progress was slow and costly. The campaign demonstrated both the power and the limits of grassroots activism. It remains a powerful example of how ordinary people, facing great risks, can push for justice and social change.

Interesting Fact: Freedom Summer volunteers also helped form the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which challenged the all-white state Democratic Party at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

What was Freedom Summer's main goal?

Which state was the focus of Freedom Summer?

Who were murdered in June 1964?

Why did some local leaders worry about white volunteers?

What was the impact of Freedom Schools?

What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 do?

Freedom Summer volunteers faced no danger. True or false?

What does 'segregation' mean?