About Mae Bertha Carter

Mae Bertha Carter was born in Bolivar County, MS on a cotton plantation.  She was the mother of 13 children. In 1965, she and her husband, Matthew were the first and only parents to send eight of their children to desegregate the all-white school system in Drew, MS located in Sunflower County under the Freedom Of Choice Plan.  She worked as a sharecropper for 40 years and a Headstart teacher for 30 years. She served as the Vice President of the NAACP Sunflower County chapter.  Honors and Awards: Wonder Woman Foundation award , for “Women Taking Risks”; Children Defense Fund Award; Equal Justice Award from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Award of Distinction from the University of Mississippi; Two books have been written about her family – Silver Rights and  The School Is Not White; Documentary about her family, The Intolerable Burden.

In 1967, Mae Bertha Carter brought a law suit against the Drew School District on behalf of her children to end the freedom of choice plan. She won the lawsuit in 1969 whereas, the court threw out the “freedom of choice plans” and ordered desegregation of the schools.  After the schools in Mississippi were desegregated in 1970, she continued to tirelessly address other education issues (including participating and/or assisting in class action lawsuits) in the Drew schools, such as dress codes targeted at black students; disproportionate number of school suspension and expulsions of black males; different conduct rules for black and white students; and over inclusion of black students in special education programs.  She also advocated for and assisted in getting African American to claims their rights as citizens and register to vote. 

Because of her achievements, together, with the achievements of many other civil rights activists, Mae Bertha Carter, helped to create a society where people, regardless of race, have the right to choose the schools and universities they wish to attend without the threat of being harmed or harassed.  Also because of her voter registration efforts and advocacy work, along with the work of many others, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. Because of that Act, more African Americans and other minorities are represented on the voter rolls than ever before, which has led to more African American and other minorities being elected to public office, locally and nationally, including the first African American President of the United States.

Curriculum

Gloria Dickerson facilitates classes for 10 consecutive weeks There is a diversity of classes that will be taught. They are listed below.

Civic and Community Engagement – Objective: Learn how our local, state, and national government works, including your local mayor and board of alderpersons, county supervisors, state representatives and state senators, and your US Representatives and Senators. Also engage in conversations about what it means to be engaged in the community.

Law of Attraction –Objective:  Learn how to attract into your life whatever you want, whether it be money, wealth and abundance, or love, loving relationships,  peace, and excellent health.

Mindfulness and Meditation – Objective: Learn how to allow your emotions to settle down, whether it be anger, depression, sadness, and live in the present moment in peace and calm.

The Happy Millionaire: Objective: Learn how to manage money and accumulate as much as you want, and to realize that having lots of money is a good thing. 

Playing the Matrix Objective: Learn ways to make all your dreams come true..