Bob Mants facts for kids

Robert "Bob" Mants, Jr. (born April 25, 1943 – died December 7, 2011) was an American hero. He worked hard for civil rights, helping people get fair treatment. Bob Mants was a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

He moved to Lowndes County, where he spent the rest of his life fighting for civil rights. This county was a big part of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march. At that time, Lowndes County was known for its unfair treatment and violence against Black people.

Early Life and Activism

Bob Mants was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He finished high school in 1961 from a segregated Black school. While in high school, he joined the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights. This group later became the Atlanta Student Movement.

He also volunteered at the SNCC headquarters, which was close to his home. Bob Mants then went to Morehouse College. He planned to study medicine but left before graduating. In 1964, he started working full-time with SNCC in Americus, Georgia. By early 1965, Mants moved to Lowndes County, AL for his job.

Working for Civil Rights

While in Americus, Bob Mants helped keep the peace. On July 6, 1964, he reported that groups of people were gathering. This was possibly after some restaurants had allowed Black and white people to eat together. Mants worked to calm everyone down. Later that day, he reported a drive-by shooting, but no one was hurt.

The Selma to Montgomery March

Bob Mants and Stokely Carmichael from SNCC joined the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march. In photos of "Bloody Sunday," you can see Mants marching. He was right behind John Lewis after they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Earlier that morning, Mants had prayed at the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church. This church was where the march began. He was with important leaders like John Lewis, Hosea Williams, and Andrew Young.

During the violent events of Bloody Sunday, Mants helped a woman. He saved her from a possible beating and got her away from the tear gas.

Helping in Lowndes County

In March 1965, while marching to Montgomery, Mants handed out buttons and flyers. A woman from Lowndes County was very happy the civil rights movement was coming to her area. She shared an inspiring quote from the Bible with him.

In 1964, no Black people were registered to vote in Lowndes County. This was even though most people living there were Black. The county was called "Bloody Lowndes" because of its long history of violence. White landowners often hurt Black people who tried to register to vote.

When Mants and other SNCC workers helped Black people register, many lost their homes. Their landowners, who were mostly white, forced them out. Many displaced Black residents lived in a temporary "Tent City." For two years, people often shot into this camp to scare them. To help, SNCC started the Alabama Poor People's Land Fund. This fund bought land and building materials. It helped the displaced Black residents build new homes.

New Political Strategies

SNCC also tried a new plan in Lowndes County. In 1966, they created the Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO). This was an independent Black political party. They chose a snarling black panther as their symbol.

The LCFO inspired other leaders. Stokely Carmichael used LCFO's ideas for his "Black Power" movement. Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton later used the black panther logo for the Black Panther Party.

Later Life and Legacy

Bob Mants stayed in Lowndes County after the march. He said he wanted to raise his children there. He felt they could see Black people making progress. Mants worked as a farm management specialist at Tuskegee University.

In 1984, Mants was elected to the Lowndes County Commission. He won against a white person who was already in office. He served one term.

In 2000, Mants spoke out against building a landfill near U.S. Route 80. This highway was the path of the Selma to Montgomery march. He called it "an insult." As the head of Lowndes County Friends of the Trail, he said, "you can't celebrate the route of the march on one hand and ruin it on the other."

Bob Mants passed away on December 7, 2011, after a heart attack in Atlanta. A memorial service was held in Lowndes County on December 17, 2011. Many people praised him. His three children, Kadejah, Kumasi, and Katanga, thanked everyone for honoring him. Bob Mants is survived by his wife, Joann Christian, who was also a civil rights activist. He also had seven grandchildren and three sisters: Dorothy, Roberta, and Otelia.