Septima Clark was born on May 3, 1898, in Charleston, South Carolina. A pioneering educator and activist, she understood that literacy and education were essential tools for Black empowerment. Clark developed citizenship schools that taught Black adults how to read, write, and pass voter literacy tests. Her work greatly expanded the base of civil rights activism and voter participation, particularly in the South. Often overshadowed by more famous figures, Clark’s grassroots leadership made the broader movement possible, earning her the title “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.”
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