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                                                           AN ACCLAIMED BROADWAY STYLE ONE WOMAN PLAY
                                                                                       "I QUESTION AMERICA"
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                          "I'm  Sick  And Tired Of Being Sick And Tired"---Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer
              

FANNIE LOU HAMER  WAS A WARRIOR DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. SHE JOURNEYED FROM THE COTTON FIELDS OF RULEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI TO THE HALLS OF CONGRESS AND BEING ONE OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS DURING THE 1964 NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY AS THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY (MFDP).  SHE WAS CO-FOUNDER OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY. REFUSING TO BE DETERRED BY THE WHITE CITIZENS COUNCIL AND THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE, AFFORDED HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BODILY ABOUT ALL OF THE INJUSTICES SHE HAD SEEN AND EXPERIENCED TRYING TO GAIN THE RIGHT TO VOTE, HAVE A BETTER LIFE, BETTER EDUCATION AND HAVING A VOICE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.

SHE WAS BORN OCTOBER 6, 1917 AS FANNIE LOU TOWNSEND IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI. 1923, SHE STARTED WORKING IN THE COTTON FIELDS ALONG WITH HER FOURTEEN BROTHERS AND FIVE SISTERS. 1929, AFTER JOINING STRANGER'S HOME BAPTIST CHURCH, SHE ATTENDED A MEETING ORGANIZED BY SCLC AND SNCC. SHE, ALSO, MET AND MARRIED  IN 1944, PERRY HAMER. THEY RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS. AS A YOUNG CHILD SHE ALWAYS SOUGHT A BETTER LIFE,  AND SEARCHED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SOCIALLY AND POLITICALLY FOR THE ALL, BLACKS AND POOR, ALIKE.

THUS BEGAN HER JOURNEY TO FIGHT FOR VOTING RIGHTS, EVEN BEING SHOT AT SHE DID NOT WAIVER.  AFTER HER THIRD ATTEMPT, SHE BECAME A REGISTERED VOTER.  BEATINGS FOLLOWED BECAUSE SHE TRAVELED AROUND DURING FREEDOM SUMMER TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO VOTE AND FIGHT FOR THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS.  SHE WAS EVEN JAILED AND BEATING IN WINONA, MISSISSIPPI.

1968, SHE RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION WHEN SHE WAS SEATED AT THE CHICAGO DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION AND WAS ELECTED DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN.  1969, SHE FOUND FREEDOM FARM COOPERATIVE TO FEED THE HUNGRY. 1971, SHE RAN FOR THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE. MARCH 15, 1977, MRS. HAMER DIES OF CANCER IN MOUND BAYOU, MISSISSIPPI.


E.P. MCKNIGHT, author of Words 'N'
Action, #1 Amazon Best Seller's List--Poetry, and Inspirational & Religious, 
IS A GRADUATE OF FORDHAM UNIVERSITY LINCOLN CENTER, NY,NY WHERE SHE RECEIVED HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY.  AS AN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, SHE FOUNDED THE NIKAO IMANI, INC., A MARKETING AND CONSULTING FIRM FOR CAREERS IN THE CORPORATE AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

 

SHE IS A POET, ACTRESS, WRITER, A MEMBER OF SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, ACTOR'S EQUITY, AND AMERICAN FEDERATION TELEVISION AND RADIO ARTISTS.   LOS ANGELES THEATRE CREDITS: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD,CATCH THE SPIRIT, WITH GRACE I STAND, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, CRANE MISSISSIPPI, EXILES FROM PARADISE, LEO’S BARBERSHOP  & GRILL, SPINNELI, SECRETS OF THE PUSSYCAT; NEW YORK THEATRE CREDITS: FENCES, THE CRUCIBLE, DO LORD REMEMBER ME, BLACK GIRL, STEAL AWAY, NZINGA'S CHILDREN, PURLIE, MY DIARY, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, WINE IN THE WILDERNESS, MARCUS GARVEY, THE REVIVAL TABLE, WHO'S MAMA'S BABY WHO'S DADDY'S CHILD, HIGH STEPPIN IN HARLEM, I WANNA BE & OTHERS. . TELEVISION CREDITS: COMEDY, BANG BANG, ER,ONCE & AGAIN, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, DHARMA & GREGG, LAW & ORDER, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ALL MY CHILDREN, ANOTHER WORLD, GUIDING LIGHT, AS THE WORLD TURNS, MATT WATERS, SESAME STREET, AND SEVERAL COMMERCIALS.  RECENT LA FILM CREDITS: ZODIZC KILLER,HAZING STARRING BRAD DORLIEF( One Flew Over the Coco Nest), RAT RACE W/WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CUBA GOODING, PLUS COUNTLESS OTHER MOVIE STARS,  PRINCESS DIARY W/ JULIE ANDREWS & YO TYRONE (TOURING FILM FESTIVALS).   NY CREDITS: SHAKEDOWN COP, JUNGLE FEVER, QUICK CHANGE, LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLAS,BAMBARELLA, OFF-WHITE POWER,& DREAM LOVER TYRONE.  


PROMINENT WRITING CREDITS:

1. I QUESTION AMERICA, A PLAY ABOUT FANNIE LOU HAMER.

2. CATCH THE SPIRIT, A PLAY ABOUT BESSIE COLEMAN
3.WITH GRACE I STAND, A PLAY ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN         WOMEN FROM 19TH CENTURY

4. OWN MY OWN TERMS, A NINA SIMONE STORY

5. OBAMACARE WARD, THE MAN WHO STANDS, ETHNICALLY AMBIGUOUS,


Currently writing: "When The Wind Blows, Grab It"


WORDS "N" ACTION, #1 Amazon Best Seller's List, A BOOK OF INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL POETRY.


POETS CREDITS:
BARNES & NOBLE, BORDERS BOOKSTORE, BAHI CENTER,  UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND, ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. STATE OFFICE BUILDING, PATERSON MUSEUM, PASSAIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FREDDIE ROBERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND, NY GRAMERCY PARK HOTEL, KUJICHAGULI, MALIK, GOSPEL FOOD CHRISTIAN, & MILLIGAN, BOOKSTORE SIGNINGS AND COUNTLESS  RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.



WORDS "N" ACTION & MUSICAL POETRY (CD)  

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