Allen, Louis

Louis Allen, an independent logger and father of four children, witnessed Lee’s murder and contacted the Justice Department. Several months after Hurst’s trial, the deputy sheriff informed Allen he knew about his contact with the Justice Department and broke his […]

Amite – Documents

Westbrook Cotton Gin National Registry nomination form (photos removed from original)

Amite County Data Dashboard

Demographic data that helps add context to many historical events.

Campbell, Will

Born in Amite County, Mississippi in 1924, Will Campbell became an ordained minister at age 17 before attending Louisiana College. After attending Louisiana College, Will served as a medic during World War II. Mr. Campbell held a multitude of professions […]

Lee, Herbert

Herbert Lee, a farmer and the father of nine children, was a charter member of Amite County’s NAACP branch. He remained openly active even after Sheriff E.L. Caston raided the chapter’s membership list and records in 1954. After Robert “Bob” […]

McDew, Charles “Chuck”: Oral History

Charles “Chuck” McDew participated in the civil rights movement in many parts of the American South, including Mississippi. He was a pivotal movement activist in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). In this interview, he begins by discussing segregated seating […]

Moses, Robert “Bob”

Robert Moses was born in 1935 and was a major contributor towards the fight towards social equity for all, becoming a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Moses first got involved with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Following […]

Steptoe, E.W.

E.W. Steptoe, born Eldridge Willie Steptoe from Amite County, was owner of a dairy and cotton farm. He founded Amite County’s NAACP chapter in 1953 and recruited nearly 200 members in less than a year. Because of Steptoe and others who […]

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Considered one of the most integral organizations in the 1960s, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced “Snick”) functioned to offer young people a voice during the Civil Rights Movement. SNCC was founded during the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) […]

The Murder of Herbert Lee and Louis Allen

(1961-1964) August 15, 1961: Bob Moses (a SNCC worker) accompanied farmer Ernest Isaac, Bertha Lee Hughes, and Matilda Schoby to register at the Liberty courthouse. All three filled out a form but were refused the test. Upon leaving Liberty, their […]