From November 2 to 4, some 83,000 Black Mississippians voted in beauty parlors, cafes, grocery stores, pool halls, and Black businesses. They gathered to cast ballots for Freedom Vote, created by the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) to prove that Black Mississippians not only wanted to vote, but were ready to cast thousands of ballots. High numbers of voters came out in areas with a strong COFO presence, sparking the discussion of having more volunteers to connect to other communities. In the summer of 1964, hundreds of volunteers would come to Mississippi to help local people prepare to register to cast a legal ballot.
Pictured: A black and white photograph of people standing in line to cast their Freedom Vote at a masonic temple. There are four people in line. A woman stands behind the ballot box, and a man is seated next to her.
Credit: MDAH Winfred Moncrief Photograph Collection
