What was the objective and outcome of Freedom Summer (1964) in Mississippi?

• A. To elect a new governor in Mississippi; no.
• B. To desegregate all public schools in Mississippi immediately.
• C. To register Black voters and build political power; faced violence but led to increased attention and voter registration.
• D. To protest against war in Vietnam.

Answer: (C)

Freedom Summer was about expanding Black political participation in Mississippi by registering voters and building an organized political base. Volunteers worked to register Black Mississippians, educate communities about their rights, and create structures like Freedom Schools to empower people politically. This effort faced brutal resistance and violence from segregationists, including mobs that targeted volunteers. Yet the campaign succeeded in drawing national attention to the fight for voting rights and, importantly, in increasing Black voter registration in the state. It also helped catalyze federal action toward stronger protection of voting rights, contributing to the momentum behind the Voting Rights Act of 1965.