Mother of the Movement

This week, we’re looking through our history to ground ourselves in a turbulent present. Tune in for our discussion of Septima Poinsette Clark, the Charleston-born educator and activist Martin Luther King Jr. once called “the mother of the movement.” Her story bridges the segregated classrooms of the early 20th century and the civil rights movement’s front lines. Through the establishment of hundreds of citizenship schools across the U.S., she helped thousands of Black Americans gain the literacy skills necessary to vote, transforming communities. We also consider her complex legacy as a woman who challenged not only racism but also sexism within social movements that she helped to shape.02:24 Septima Poinsette Clark: Family History & Educational Empowerment06:00 Teaching in segregated South Carolina and the fight for equal pay09:00 Adult Literacy & Citizenship12:20 Poll Taxes, Literacy Tests, and the Politics of Reconstruction14:00 Workshops at the Highlander Folk School16:00 Citizenship Schools and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference21:40 Septima Poinsette’s Civil Rights Activism: Legacy and LessonsFor a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.