Charles Neblett facts for kids

Charles "Chuck" Neblett (born 1941) is a brave civil rights activist. He is famous for helping to start and being a member of The Freedom Singers. This group used music to support the fight for equal rights for all people.

Early Life and Activism

Charles Neblett grew up in Cairo, Illinois. From a young age, he cared deeply about the Civil Rights Movement. He first noticed unfairness when he saw that schools for African American children received less money than schools for white children.

A sad event in 1955 deeply affected him. When Emmett Till was murdered, Charles was the same age, fourteen. This made him realize that as an African American, he "had no rights that white people would respect." He knew then that he had to join the movement. He said it was like he "got religion."

Charles went to Southern Illinois University. There, he got his first chance to fight for civil rights. The Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) asked him to join them. He protested against unfair housing rules at the university. He spoke to the University President, and changes were made the very next semester. After this, Charles realized, "we could make a difference."

The Freedom Singers

The Freedom Singers were a music group created by SNCC in 1962. Their goal was to support the Civil Rights Movement through song. The group started in Albany, Georgia, with four original members. Charles Neblett sang bass. The other members were Rutha Mae Harris (soprano), Bernice Johnson (alto), and Cordell Reagon (tenor).

Their first tour was planned by SNCC and lasted from December 1962 to August 1963. The group was very busy, sometimes singing three concerts a day! They performed in many places, including parties, churches, protest marches, universities, and even jails. They traveled all over the nation.

The Freedom Singers were very important to SNCC. They helped raise a lot of money for the movement. However, being a member was not always safe. Even in the northern states, they sometimes faced violence. This included demonstrations by the Ku Klux Klan during their concerts.

The group sang "freedom songs" that were written or changed for the movement. Some famous songs included "We Shall Overcome", "We Shall Not be Moved", and "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize". After their first tour, the original group broke up, but other singers continued their work. The original four members reunited to sing several times after the 1980s. They remained friends for life.

As a Freedom Singer, Charles Neblett traveled over 100,000 miles through more than forty states. They mostly traveled by station wagon. In 1963, the group performed at the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Other Civil Rights Work

Charles Neblett worked as a SNCC field secretary from 1961 to 1966. In 1964, he was part of a group that went to a conference in Atlanta. Governors George Wallace of Alabama and Ross Barnett of Mississippi were there. They wanted to keep segregation, which meant keeping Black and white people separate.

When Charles and his group entered the stadium, they realized the "conference" was actually a meeting of Klan leaders. Charles Neblett, Carol Ableman, and Matt Jones were separated from their group and surrounded. Charles tried to escape by climbing a fence. But the crowd reached him and started hitting him with metal chairs. Police officers did not stop the violence. Carol Ableman, who was white, escaped without injury. However, Charles and Matt were hurt and taken to the emergency room in a police van.

Charles Neblett was arrested 27 times for his involvement in the movement. In jail, he faced very harsh treatment. He had to deal with bad food, beatings, and extremely hot temperatures. During these difficult times, he found strength in singing. He even wrote songs while he was in jail.

Later, he worked in the "Black Bottom Historic District" in Russellville, Kentucky. He helped save homes of Black Civil War veterans. He also helped young people research their ancestors who fought in the Civil War. He became the first Black elected magistrate in Logan County, Kentucky.

Family Life

Charles and his wife, Marvinia, have four children: Khary, Kwesi, Komero, and Kesi. Charles's brother, Chico Neblett, also took part in non-violent protests in Illinois. Chico Neblett was a Field Marshal for the Boston Black Panther Party until May 24, 1969.

Later Contributions

In 2010, Charles Neblett was honored. He was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame. That same year, he attended the 44th Annual Folklife Festival at the Smithsonian.

In 2014, he was a special guest of President Barack Obama at the White House. Charles Neblett was among many famous performers. He sang with Rutha Mae Harris, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, and Bernice and Cordell Reagon's daughter, Toshi. Cordell Reagon had passed away by this time.

Charles Neblett also helped Michelle Obama lead a workshop for about 200 children. Among these children were Sasha and Malia Obama. Charles was very impressed with how he was welcomed at the White House. He said he "realized the work done in the past was actually respected."