MSM 647 Rosie Washington - Inspired to Activism

Rosie Washington was sixteen years old when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to Grenada in 1966. In this episode, she recalls how meeting the civil rights icon inspired her to explore activism and school integration. Washington and her siblings were among the first students to integrate the public schools in Grenada. She remembers the severe backlash they encountered from the white community. During the Civil Rights Movement, Washington's family hosted several visiting activists. She explains how that experience encouraged her to participate in protests across her hometown. While picketing in downtown Grenada, Washington and the rest of her group were rounded up and incarcerated. She describes the trauma of being forced onto a flatbed truck and driven to Parchman without representation or due process.   This episode was written by Abigail Wiest, a senior at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Hattiesburg. Mississippi Moments is produced by Ross Walton, with narration by Bill Ellison. PHOTO: theatlantic.com