How Did Ella Baker Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Ella Josephine Baker was known to be an unsung hero during the trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement. She was one of the women who contributed in achieving civil and human rights for minority people. She cooperated with many organizations to establish her goal, such as motivating the discriminated into standing up for themselves. Ella Baker’s childhood, political activism, and the influences of her actions all contributed in ending discrimination against African Americans and other minority groups during the Civil Rights Movement.

First, Ella Baker’s childhood had the significant impact on her as an activist. “She was part of a close-knit racially proud family, whose ancestors had been community leader with a southern African American tradition of cooperating with and helping one another that was carried in by her family” (“Ella Josephine Baker”). She was born in Norfolk, Virginia on December 13, 1903. Influenced by her family at young age, she became interested in helping out people in need. “Baker listened to her grandmother tell stories about slave revolt” (“SNCC”). She learned how slaves were treated, which made her want to change how some people are treated differently than the others. “Her grandfather, a minister and community leader, was an ardent proponent of civil rights and universal suffrage, and passed his beliefs

“Baker was always striving to form a bridge among different socioeconomic groups to foster communication and cooperation” (“Ella Josephine Baker”). She worked for more than thirty years to establish her goal. She was always fighting for, or fighting with people in need. “Baker taught people not to be ashamed of their race, made them believe in themselves, and understand the power of unity” (“Ella Josephine Baker”). She was against the idea of being classified according to their skin color or their