Charles McDew facts for kids

Charles "Chuck" McDew (born June 23, 1938 – died April 3, 2018) was an American who spent his life fighting for racial equality. He was an important leader in the Civil Rights Movement. After studying at South Carolina State University, he became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1960 to 1963. A friend, Bob Moses, once called him "black by birth, a Jew by choice and a revolutionary by necessity." This shows how dedicated he was to making change.

Who Was Charles McDew?

Charles Frederick McDew was born in Massillon, Ohio in 1938. His mother was a nurse, and his father, a chemistry teacher, became a steel worker because schools in Ohio would not hire him.

McDew believed he was born on a special day: when boxer Joe Louis won the heavyweight championship. His family taught him he was meant to do something great for the "Negro" race. He felt he was a "race baby," meaning he had a duty to help his community move forward.

Even as a young boy, McDew showed he could organize people. At 13, he protested against unfair treatment of the Amish people. This was his first step in standing up for what was right.

College Life and Early Activism

McDew hoped to go to college on a football scholarship. But after a car accident, he couldn't play anymore. His father then suggested he go to the South to learn about his "own culture." McDew chose his father's old school, South Carolina State University. He was excited to see so many "pretty black girls" and felt he had made the right choice.

Facing Segregation in the South

During his first Thanksgiving break, McDew traveled with his roommate. On their way home from a party, a police officer pulled them over. McDew, used to how things were in the North, answered the officer in a way that led to his first arrest.

Soon after, McDew faced more unfairness. On a train, the Jim Crow car for Black people was full. McDew sat in the "white" car. When told to move to the luggage car, he refused and was arrested again. Later, he and a friend were arrested for trying to play handball at a YMCA that was only for white people.

Another time, McDew walked through a park that was only open to white people that day. Because he didn't know about these segregation rules, he was arrested again. These experiences made McDew very upset with the Southern way of life. They also inspired him to join the fight for civil rights.

Joining the Civil Rights Movement

In April 1960, Martin Luther King Jr. invited McDew to a meeting at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The meeting was about student sit-ins. King wanted everyone to join his group, the SCLC. But McDew wasn't sure about using only nonviolence. He thought about Mahatma Gandhi, who used nonviolence in Africa but was still beaten and jailed. McDew wondered if this method would work in America, which he saw as a very violent country.

Forming SNCC

Because of these disagreements, McDew and other students decided to create a new group. They wanted a group that would work with the SCLC but also follow their own beliefs. They first thought of calling it the Student Coordinating Committee. But students from Nashville, who strongly believed in nonviolence, convinced them to add "Nonviolent" to the name. This is how the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was formed. Marion Barry became its first chairman.

Fighting for Voting Rights

SNCC and McDew focused on getting Black people to register to vote. They believed that Black voters would be key to the movement's success. They worked in areas with many Black residents, like Baker's County and Mississippi. They knew that violence was a risk, but they wouldn't let that stop them. They believed that if they could get people to register in these tough areas, they could do it anywhere.

The "Jail No Bail" Tactic

As the movement grew, SNCC activists were often arrested. This led to the "Jail No Bail" tactic. Activists would get arrested and refuse to pay their fines for 39 days. They had 40 days to post bail. On the 39th day, they would finally post bail. This was a way to protest their unfair arrests.

McDew was chosen as SNCC's second chairman because of his strong dedication. He led the group until 1963. Throughout his life, he participated in many sit-ins, protests, and faced arrests. He stood up for what he believed was right and fair for everyone.

He was arrested 43 times in his life. Once, he and eleven others were arrested for "disrupting racial harmony." They were put in a freezing Mississippi jail cell with little food and no eating tools. They had to huddle together for warmth.

McDew also worked as a teacher and a labor organizer. He managed programs to help people in need in Washington, D.C.. He also worked as a community organizer in Boston and San Francisco, helping to bring about change.

McDew's Personal Beliefs

McDew converted to Judaism when he was in high school. He was inspired by a quote from the Talmud: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am for myself only, what am I? If not now, when?" This quote helped shape McDew's strong belief that he had a moral duty to fight for justice.

Later Life and Legacy

McDew lived in St. Paul, Minnesota. He taught classes on the history of the civil rights movement and African-American history at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis.

Charles McDew passed away on April 3, 2018, at the age of 79, from a heart attack. He is remembered as a brave and dedicated activist who fought for equality his entire life.