September 25 - Martyred for the Vote

Labor History in 2:00 · Sep 25, 2026 · 1m

On this day in Labor History the year was 1961.

That was the day when Herbert Lee was murdered just outside of Liberty, Mississippi.

He was a successful black cotton farmer, who became active in efforts to register black voters.

Lee had nine children.

He was one of the few area black farmers with a vehicle.

This made him very valuable to the voter registration movement.

Lee would drive Bob Moses from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee around Amite County to reach unregistered voters.

It was dangerous work to register black share croppers and farmers in rural Mississippi.

Attempts…