Ceola Wallace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ceola Wallace
|
|
|---|---|
l-r: Johnny Waters, Ceola Wallace, Willie McGeey, and Jake Plum. Waters, Wallace and Plum are poll workers assisting McGeey in registering to vote, 1964
|
|
| Born |
Ceola Sloan
July 22, 1907 |
| Died | March 20, 1994 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Ceola Boochie |
| Occupation | seamstress, civil rights activist |
Ceola Wallace (July 22, 1907 – March 20, 1994) was an American seamstress. She was also a brave civil rights activist from Mississippi. She helped fight for the right to vote for African Americans. She was part of a group of women who worked to remove unfair voting rules, like the poll tax. She was very active in the 1964 voter registration efforts, especially during the Freedom Summer Project.
About Ceola Wallace
Ceola Sloan was born on July 22, 1907. Her birthplace was Forrest County, Mississippi. She grew up in a big family with four brothers and one sister. Ceola only went to school for a short time, just the first grade. But she was determined and taught herself to read and write.
Her first husband's last name was Boochie. They had eight children together. When her husband passed away, Ceola became a young widow. She worked hard to support her family. She was a tenant farmer, meaning she farmed land owned by someone else. She also did laundry and other farm and house chores.
Becoming a Seamstress
Ceola earned about $3 each week from her jobs. She wanted to learn to sew. So, she taught herself by reading the instructions on dressmaking patterns. Later, she married John Wallace, who worked in construction. They lived in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. There, Ceola became well-known as a skilled seamstress.
Fighting for Voting Rights
Ceola Wallace was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. This movement worked to end unfair treatment and segregation. In September 1964, her photo was in Ebony magazine. This was because of her work during the Freedom Summer Project. This project helped African Americans register to vote.
That same year, she took legal action with another woman, Victoria Gray. They challenged Mississippi's poll tax law. This law made people pay a tax before they could vote. This was a way to stop many African Americans from voting. Ceola was one of several women who filed lawsuits to get rid of these unfair poll taxes. A group of federal judges later decided that the tax was against the law for federal elections. It stopped people who were already registered from voting.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace also opened their home to others. They let white voter-registration workers and teachers stay with them. This was during the early 1960s, a very important time for civil rights. It was a brave thing to do, as it could be dangerous.
Her Legacy
Ceola Wallace passed away on March 20, 1994, in Hattiesburg. Her story and the stories of other activists were shared in a documentary. The film was called Freedom Summer. It came out in 2014 on the Public Broadcasting Service series American Experience. It showed how important Ceola and others were to the Freedom Summer Project.
