Unita Blackwell

"When the bossman says you go to the fields, everybody went to the fields; schools closed down."

"The more I heard about white people being so against it. the more I started thinking there must be something in this voting."

"…what happened outside the courthouse that day was the turning point in my life."

"I’m proof that things can change."

"There's no job too big to benefit from a small town person's perspective, I discovered, just as there's no town too small for thinking big."

"We honor her as an ancestor for reminding us of the power to change the circumstances we were born into."

"Unita Blackwell epitomizes the power of community-based efforts and of Black women in the Civil Rights Movement to enact change at the local and regional level."

"I am saddened by the passing of Unita Blackwell. She dedicated her life to fighting for civil rights in Mississippi. We are forever grateful for her work and sacrifice."

"Our hearts are heavy today after hearing the news that former Mayersville Mayor Unita Blackwell has passed. We are a better state for her determination to make Mississippi a more just place. She remains a role model for generations of women who serve in city halls, county courthouses and the Mississippi Capitol. Godspeed, Mayor Blackwell. We salute you."

"Her leadership was also marked by a commitment to uplifting women and children, often neglected in the larger political landscape."

"She was a steadfast advocate for the rights of the disenfranchised and worked to create a more inclusive and just community."

"Blackwell’s work and legacy went beyond her local community. She became a vocal advocate for the inclusion of women and people of color in the broader political system, encouraging others to take leadership roles and fight for change."