Florence Mars facts for kids

Florence Mars (January 1, 1923 – April 23, 2006) was an American writer and activist. She is best known for her important work during the Civil Rights Movement. Her book, Witness in Philadelphia, shared her experiences about a terrible event in Mississippi.

Helping the Civil Rights Movement

Florence Mars was one of the few white people in Neshoba County, Mississippi who supported the Civil Rights Movement. This movement worked to gain equal rights for African Americans. She helped black citizens register to vote, which was a very brave thing to do at that time.

She lived in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In 1964, three young civil rights workers, James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman, were sadly killed near Philadelphia. They were working to help people register to vote. This crime was committed by members of a secret group called the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan was a group that used violence to oppose civil rights for African Americans.

Florence Mars was one of the few local people who helped the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with their investigation. Her actions made the Ku Klux Klan angry. They even burned down her barn to try and scare her. Years later, a movie called Mississippi Burning was made about this event. A character in the film was partly based on Florence Mars.

Her Book: Witness in Philadelphia

In 1977, Florence Mars wrote a book called Witness in Philadelphia. The book told her story of being involved in the Civil Rights Movement. It also described the murder of the three activists. This book helped keep the public's interest in the murders alive. When the movie Mississippi Burning became popular, even more people learned about the incident. Because of the continued attention, one of the people involved in the crime, Edgar Ray Killen, was finally sentenced to prison in 2005.

Later Life and Death

Florence Mars passed away in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in 2006, at the age of 83. She had been suffering from Bell's palsy and diabetes.