The Big Six
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Martin Luther King Jr."Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist, who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968."
"The Big Six" refers to six leaders that organized and spoke at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. they were leaders from: the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress On Racial Equality (CORE), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and the National Urban League.
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James Farmer"Civil rights leader James Farmer headed the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and organized the historic Freedom Rides of 1961"
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John Lewis"One of the "Big Six" leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, John Lewis has continued to fight for people's rights since joining Congress in 1987." He was the chairperson for Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
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A. Philip Randolph"A. Philip Randolph was a labor leader and social activist who fought for the rights of African-American laborers, including better wages and working conditions." He was a principal organizer of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. He was a founder and the first president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
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Roy Wilkins"Roy Wilkins served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)."
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Whitney Young"Civil rights leader Whitney Young Jr., head of the National Urban League, was at the forefront of racial integration and African-American economic empowerment."
Collection of Biographies
John Lewis
As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Lewis spoke at the March on Washington for Job and Freedom in 1963. He joined Congress in 1987, representingr Georgia's 5th congressional district which includes 3/4 of Atlanta.
CBS This Morning Story
Selma
John Lewis lead the crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on "Bloody Sunday," 1965
image via AL.com
Image via NPR
Image via CRMVET.org