In this episode, we explore the critical legal strategies and on-the-ground activism that drove the Civil Rights Movement in America. Lawyer Fred Cooke provides historical context on the pivotal court cases and legal minds, like Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall, who crafted the legal framework to challenge segregation and inequality.

We then hear from #SNCCVeterans Frank Smith and Charles McLaurin, who share their personal experiences growing up in the Jim Crow South and the sacrifices they made as young activists with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). They discuss the importance of local organizing and voter registration efforts in places like Mississippi, as well as the ongoing challenges of protecting the hard-won gains of the movement.

The conversation explores the similarities between past civil rights protests and today's movements, emphasizing the need for effective organizing and hope in the face of adversity.

For more information, follow us on social media @SNCCLegacy and visit: www.sncclegacyproject.org.

In this episode, #SNCCVeteran Judy Richardson sits down alongside Tiffany Loftin and Ajamu A. Dillahunt-Holloway for a dialogue on the lessons of the past and the challenges of the present.

Judy shares her personal journey into the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s, describing how she found her "movement home" and the revolutionary values that defined SNCC's approach. Tiffany and Ajamu then recount their own paths into activism - from navigating the barriers of higher education as first-generation students, to building campus-based movements around issues like immigration reform and police accountability.

The conversation delves into how the organizing principles of SNCC continue to inform their work today, from the importance of centering directly impacted communities, to the strategic use of protests, boycotts, and electoral politics. They grapple with the complexities of the current political landscape, offering insights on mobilizing young people, pushing candidates on key issues, and envisioning new models of transformative change.

For more information, follow us on social media @SNCCLegacy and visit: www.sncclegacyproject.org.

This episode of the podcast focuses on the power to define and the power to decide, particularly as it relates to the work of students and young people in the community. #SNCCVeteran Courtland Cox interviews Wisdom Cole and Amari Fennoy, who discuss their roles in engaging young people under 25 in the fight for civil rights and political/economic freedoms.

They provide an overview of the NAACP Youth and College Division, which serves around 30,000 members focused on building, training, and organizing young leaders to address key policy issues like student debt, gun violence, and voting rights.

A key theme is the challenge of rebuilding trust and agency with young voters who have become disillusioned by broken promises and transactional relationships with political organizations. Wisdom and Amari share strategies for grassroots organizing, cultural education, and providing tangible resources to empower young people's civic engagement.The episode also explores differences in organizing on HBCU vs. PWI campuses, highlighting the importance of cultivating a strong voting culture and safe spaces for black students to discuss issues.

For more information, follow us on social media @SNCCLegacy and visit: www.sncclegacyproject.org.

In this episode, #SNCCVeteran Courtland Cox catches up with Charles Taylor and Nse Ufot. Cox recounts his initial reluctance to join the civil rights protests at Howard University in 1960, before committing the next 64 years to the struggle. He emphasizes the need for long-term direct action. Taylor discusses growing up in Jackson, Mississippi and the continuum of activism, stressing the move from protest to power. Ufot, a Nigerian immigrant, shares her efforts to close the gap between America's rhetoric of freedom and the reality for marginalized communities.

The guests delve into grassroots organizing strategies in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, from voter registration to ballot initiatives. They highlight the importance of organic community connections, effective use of technology, and building local power - as seen in recent Mississippi and Georgia campaigns. As the 2024 election nears, the conversation underscores the South's critical role and the urgency for communities to define their own narratives.

For more information, follow us on social media @SNCCLegacy and visit: www.sncclegacyproject.org.

The “From Protest to Power” podcasts, produced by the SNCC Legacy Project, are envisioned as a series with each episode telling a part of the continuing Freedom struggle. The central theme of the visual podcasts is the ongoing effort of the Black community to achieve the power to define its existence in America. Viewers of the podcast should know that most of the stories being told and the history being shared are based on the lived experiences of those who are engaging in the fight for human and civil rights.