Unita Blackwell
Born to sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta during the Great Depression, Unita Blackwell rose from humble beginnings to become a towering figure in American history—the first Black woman elected mayor in Mississippi, a civil rights champion, and a global humanitarian.
Her home in Mayersville, Mississippi, now known as the Unita Blackwell Property, was a nucleus of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Known as the Freedom House, it served as her family’s primary residence and a safe meeting space for grassroots organizers from SNCC, COFO, and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. The house also welcomed friends and allies like Fannie Lou Hamer and was the site of strategy sessions that fueled community transformation.
In 2022, the property was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation includes three structures: the Freedom House, where Blackwell lived and organized; the Ranch House, which served as a political work center during her 20-year tenure as mayor; and a neighboring shotgun house preserved for its architectural and historical significance.
Today, through the stewardship of her son Jeremiah Blackwell Jr. and the work of The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects, the site is being reimagined as a future museum and community space, a tribute to Blackwell’s unwavering fight for justice, education, and opportunity for all.
To learn more about the Unita Blackwell house and other featured Freedom Houses, flip through the Summer 2024 issue of Elevation by clicking the button below.