A tribute to Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, and Alfred “Skip” Robinson—leaders whose courage, organizing, and cultural power shaped generations.

Honoring Our Leaders

CARENow proudly celebrates the enduring legacy and transformative work of civil rights leaders Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, and Alfred “Skip” Robinson – three powerful Mississippi-born freedom fighters who dedicated their lives to justice, equity, and liberation for Black communities. This vibrant mural, painted by local artist Anthony D. Moore, honors their fearless courage, unwavering advocacy, and profound impact on Holly Springs and the broader struggle for civil rights in America. Their stories remind us that true change begins with ordinary people standing up for what is right, and their legacies continue to inspire CARENow’s commitment to empowering our community through health equity, organizing, and economic justice.

This mural was made possible by the generous support of the Entine, Marks, and Goldsmith families.

We thank them for their commitment to preserving Black history and uplifting community legacy through public art.

Fannie Lou Hamer

“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”
—Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977) was one of the most courageous and influential voices of the civil rights movement, known for her unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and dignity for all people. Born in Montgomery County, Mississippi, she was the youngest of 20 children in a family of sharecroppers and began working in the cotton fields at just six years old. Her early life was marked by extreme poverty and systemic racial oppression, shaping her deep understanding of injustice and her determination to fight it.

In 1962, at the age of 44, Hamer attended a local meeting led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to learn about her constitutional right to vote. Inspired, she attempted to register to vote but was met with fierce resistance. That decision cost her dearly – she was fired from her job, evicted from the plantation where she lived, and later arrested and brutally beaten in jail for her continued activism. Despite these violent attempts to silence her, she declared, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

In 1964, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) to challenge the state’s all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention. Her televised testimony about the beatings she endured and the racist barriers Black people faced in trying to vote shocked the nation and exposed the cruelty of Jim Crow to millions. Her powerful words, “Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave?” remain a defining call to conscience.

Hamer’s work extended beyond voting rights. Recognizing that political freedom meant little without economic security, she founded the Freedom Farm Cooperative in 1969. This innovative project purchased hundreds of acres of land so Black families could grow their own food, build homes, and achieve independence from oppressive sharecropping systems. She also initiated a pig bank, providing livestock to help families become self-sufficient.

Fannie Lou Hamer believed deeply in the power of ordinary people to change their circumstances. She dedicated her life to ensuring that Black communities in the South had the dignity, voice, and resources they deserved. Her fearless leadership and fierce love for her people continue to inspire generations to fight for justice, equity, and liberation

Ida B. Wells

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
—Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells (1862–1931) was one of the most courageous and revolutionary truth-tellers in American history. Born into slavery in Holly Springs, Mississippi, she was only a few months old when the Emancipation Proclamation declared her family free. Yet freedom did not shield her from the brutal realities of racism and injustice that would shape her lifelong fight for equality.

At age 16, after her parents and youngest brother died in a yellow fever epidemic, Wells took on the responsibility of raising her surviving siblings while working as a teacher. She refused to let poverty or loss break her spirit. Her determination to uplift her people led her to Memphis, where she began writing for Black newspapers under the pen name “Iola,” exposing racial injustices that white-owned papers ignored.

In 1884, she took her first public stand against segregation when she was forcibly removed from a first-class train car despite having a valid ticket. She sued the railroad and initially won her case before it was overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court, solidifying her resolve to fight discrimination with her words and actions.

Wells became internationally known for her fearless anti-lynching crusade. After her friends Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and Henry Stewart were lynched in Memphis in 1892 for successfully running a Black-owned grocery store that competed with white businesses, she used her role as co-owner and editor of The Memphis Free Speech newspaper to investigate and publish the truth: lynching was not about punishing crime, as white supremacists claimed, but about economic jealousy, racial hatred, and maintaining terroristic control over Black communities.

Her pamphlets, including Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases and The Red Record, systematically documented hundreds of lynchings, forcing the world to confront America’s hypocrisy and brutality. Her fearless reporting led to death threats and the destruction of her newspaper office, forcing her to relocate to Chicago for her safety – but she never stopped her fight.

In Chicago, Wells co-founded numerous organizations including the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs and was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She organized for Black women’s suffrage, believing Black women needed both racial and gender liberation. In 1913, she boldly integrated the Illinois women’s suffrage march, refusing to walk at the back as white organizers demanded.

She married attorney Ferdinand Barnett and balanced activism with motherhood, raising four children while traveling the country to speak out against racial violence and for equal rights. Wells once declared, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Her entire life embodied that principle.

Ida B. Wells’s legacy teaches us that truth-telling is a radical act that can transform societies. Her courage continues to inspire journalists, activists, and everyday people fighting for justice in their communities today.

Alfred "Skip" Robinson

“Black Power is Green Power.”
—Alfred "Skip" Robinson

Alfred “Skip” Robinson (1939–1996) was a powerful and fearless civil rights leader, labor organizer, and community strategist who transformed the Mississippi Delta through grassroots Black empowerment. Born in Drew, Mississippi, Robinson grew up under the oppressive weight of Jim Crow laws and racial terror that sought to keep Black communities powerless. He worked as a skilled brick mason but saw that economic survival alone could never equal true freedom for his people.

In the early 1970s, Robinson became President of the United League, a grassroots Black organization that emerged to confront both racial violence and economic exploitation in northern Mississippi. At a time when the Civil Rights Movement’s momentum was waning and white supremacist violence remained widespread, Robinson’s leadership reignited organized resistance in the Delta.

Under his guidance, the United League organized hundreds of community meetings, mass marches, and economic boycotts targeting white-owned businesses that profited off Black consumers while refusing to hire or treat Black people with dignity. The League’s motto, “Black Power is Green Power,” captured Robinson’s belief that economic unity and self-determination were essential to freedom. He taught that every dollar spent was a political act, and that controlling local economies was key to dismantling racism’s hold.

Despite facing death threats, police harassment, and violence from white supremacists, Robinson continued to mobilize small Black towns throughout the region. His organizing forced many white business owners to hire Black employees, pay fairer wages, and end discriminatory practices. He also pushed for political representation, encouraging Black residents to run for office and demand fair governance in their communities.

Robinson understood that liberation was not just about desegregation or legal rights, but also about building Black economic power, self-respect, and the ability to protect and sustain one another. His strategy combined grassroots economic boycotts, community defense, and voter organizing – rooted in deep relationships and trust among everyday people.

Though his name is less known nationally, Alfred “Skip” Robinson’s work remains a blueprint for modern movements seeking racial and economic justice. His life teaches us that true freedom requires courage, unity, and the willingness to confront power with organized community action.

Meet The Artist

Anthony D’wayne Moore

Anthony D’wayne Moore is a dedicated artist and educator born on November 10, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee. Raised in the Byhalia and Victoria, Mississippi area along Tunstall and French Roads by his parents, Alfred and Gwendolyn, Moore discovered his passion for art in 1993 following the passing of his grandfather, Hollis Howell. For him, art became more than a hobby – it became therapy and a lifelong calling.

In 1998, Moore’s talent gained statewide recognition when he placed 2nd out of 51 entries in a Congressional Art Contest hosted by State Representative Roger Wicker. His winning piece, My Awkward Journey, was displayed in Wicker’s Washington D.C. office for a year, boosting Moore’s profile during his final years at Byhalia High School.

By 2002, Moore was featured on the cover of the Northwest Mississippi Community College yearbook and created a portrait for renowned actor Morgan Freeman, whom he met during a scholarship meet and greet in Charleston, Mississippi.

Moore has created public art that reflects and uplifts his community, including a mural on Brunswick Street in Byhalia and the renovation of the WKRA 92.7 sign in Holly Springs. His academic accomplishments are equally impressive, holding five degrees:

Ed.S. in Organizational Leadership – Northcentral University
Master of Art in Teaching – Memphis College of Art
BFA in Drawing – Memphis College of Art
Master in Educational Leadership – Carson-Newman University
Associate in Graphic Design – Northwest Mississippi Community College

With 15 years of experience teaching visual art, Moore is currently an educator in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. He continues to inspire others through his art and teaching, and lives in Byhalia with his wife, Charlisa Moore, and their children.

Remembering
MLK DAY OF SERVICE - January 18, 2021

CARENow celebrates the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Holly Springs, MS which involves the local community, surrounding cities & counties and participates from all walks of life & abroad.