Annie Bell Robinson Devine facts for kids

Annie Bell Robinson Devine (1912–2000) was an important American activist. She played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement, which worked to gain equal rights for all people, especially African Americans, in the United States.

Who Was Annie Devine?

Annie Bell Robinson Devine was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1912. She grew up in Canton, Mississippi. She went to college at Tougaloo College. After college, Annie worked as an insurance agent. Later, she became a schoolteacher.

Joining the Fight for Rights

Annie Devine wasn't always deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Her interest grew when activists like Dave Dennis and George Raymond of the NAACP started holding meetings. These meetings first took place at a local motel.

One night, Annie decided to join a meeting that had moved to a church. After a quick encounter with a police officer at that meeting, she became very interested in civil rights. The very next day, Annie started working to help people register to vote in Mississippi. She met with other Black people in Canton to talk about important civil rights issues.

Soon, Annie quit her job selling insurance. She wanted to work full-time for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). She quickly realized that just asking for votes wasn't enough to make a big change. Annie wanted to be part of a larger effort.

A Voice in Washington

In 1964, Annie Devine joined Fannie Lou Hamer and Victoria Gray Adams. Together, they made history. They became the first Black women to speak before the United States House of Representatives. They were elected as representatives for a new political group called the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Annie helped create this party. She was also part of its group that went to the 1964 Democratic National Convention in New Jersey. After returning from the convention, Annie decided to run for Congress in her district. However, the secretary of state would not allow her name on the ballot. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was also not allowed to run in the election.

Even so, Annie was elected by "freedom votes." She strongly believed that a new political group was needed to bring about change. Annie also had strong opinions about the Voting Rights Bill passed in 1965. She felt that the bill didn't fully protect people. She said that while people could register and vote, there was no protection before or after voting day. Annie Devine wanted full rights and complete equality, not just small parts of it.

Freedom Summer's Impact

Annie Devine was very active during the summer of 1964. This period was known as Freedom Summer. The main goal of Freedom Summer was to help more Black people register to vote in Mississippi. While the summer brought much good, it also saw many sad events. These included violence and other serious issues.

One event Annie remembered was the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. At the start of Freedom Summer, three young men involved in the movement disappeared. They were James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Their bodies were found on August 4.

Annie Devine remembered how this terrible event affected the movement. She said that the activists were very serious about their work. They knew what was happening in communities across the country. This encouraged local people to open their homes and help the movement even more. Annie explained that even though the murders were devastating, the activists became even more focused. They were determined to show that their work would lead to a positive outcome.