Andrew Goodman

Andrew Goodman
Born	(1943-11-23)November 23, 1943 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	June 21, 1964(1964-06-21) (aged 20) Neshoba County, Mississippi, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Queens College, City University of New York
Occupation	Civil rights activist

Andrew Goodman (November 23, 1943 – June 21, 1964) was an American civil rights activist. He was one of three Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) field workers murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi, during the Freedom Summer of 1964. His murder, along with those of James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, galvanized the Civil Rights Movement and led to increased support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Goodman was born in New York City to a well-to-do Jewish family committed to social justice and civil rights. He attended the progressive Walden School and later enrolled at Queens College, where he was a student of drama and anthropology. His upbringing and education instilled in him a strong sense of social responsibility and a commitment to equality.

Civil Rights Activism

In 1964, Goodman volunteered to work on the Freedom Summer project, a campaign to register African-American voters in Mississippi, where discriminatory practices had long suppressed black voter registration. The project was organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and CORE, and it attracted hundreds of volunteers from across the country.

Murder and Aftermath

On June 21, 1964, Goodman, along with fellow activists James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, was investigating the burning of a black church in Neshoba County, Mississippi. The three men were arrested by local police on trumped-up charges, jailed for several hours, and then released into the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. Later that night, they were murdered by Klan members.

The disappearance of the three men prompted a massive FBI investigation, codenamed "Mississippi Burning". Their bodies were discovered 44 days later, buried in an earthen dam. The case drew national attention and outrage, highlighting the violent resistance to civil rights efforts in the South.

Legacy

The murders of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner were pivotal in the struggle for civil rights. They helped to bring about the passage of landmark legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The case was later dramatized in the 1988 film "Mississippi Burning".

In 2014, the Andrew Goodman Foundation was established to continue his legacy by promoting civic engagement, social justice, and voting rights. The foundation works to empower young people to participate in democracy and advocate for social change.

See Also

• Civil Rights Movement
• Freedom Summer
• James Chaney
• Michael Schwerner

References

• "Andrew Goodman". History.com. Retrieved October 10, 2023.

External Links

• Andrew Goodman Foundation