Fifty years ago, college students Charles Cobb and Judy Richardson marched to outlaw discrimination during one of the most turbulent times in the nation’s history.
“Mostly when people think of the Southern civil rights movement, they think of mass protest in public spaces led by charismatic leaders — probably Martin Luther King is the great symbol of this," Cobb said. "But my view is that really what defines the Southern movement is the grassroots organizing tradition in the rural, black belt south.”
This summer marks 50 years since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. Thursday, the University of Massachusetts Lowell welcomed Cobb and Richardson, civil rights activists who, along with Martin Luther King, Jr., were part of that movement, organizing peaceful marches and sit-ins across the country.
Cobb says that’s a tradition that’s just as important today.
That’s why he’s a mentor to a group of young activists called Dream Defenders, near his home in Florida.
“The first thing I tell them is really, the future is yours, not mine," he said. "Ultimately if they’re going to sustain their protest, and really politicize their anger and use their energy meaningfully, well now, the young people today are going to have to make the transition from being protesters to organizers."
That’s why Cobb hopes those inspired by the "Black Lives Matter" movement will seek advice from those members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, founded in the '60s. The group no longer exists, but a legacy group has a Web site that lists former members, like Richardson.
"What I think really needs to be impressed, not just on young people but on older people, is the relationship of the vote to their everyday lives," Richardson said. "That there’s a reason that you have the kind of Supreme Court that you have there now. On a federal level, on a local level, the kind of school board you have. All of those things have to do with whom you elect. And in order to elect somebody, you got to vote."
Richardson says voting and nonviolent protest go together to hold politicians accountable.
“You’ve got to keep reminding them, we’re here too and we’re the ones who voted for you and we will take you out — I mean take you out of office," she said. "All of that is part of what we learned. The vote is important, but it’s not the only thing you need to do.”
Richardson says she’s sad to see looting and riots in Baltimore this week but she and Cobb think the media is too focused on the violence. They say the majority of young demonstrators are obeying the law. The larger problem is poverty, racism and youth unemployment.
"I understand how difficult it is to see your CVS in your neighborhood burn down," she said. "But I guess my concern is we seem to be talking only about businesses. What’s going to happen to help some of these young people get jobs? To build schools?"
Both Richardson and Cobb say the “Black Lives Matter” movement needs both young and old activists to establish clear priorities and work toward them and inspire people who weren’t involved before.
