Oral History/Interview
2007
Brenda Travis, a 15-year-old high school student in McComb Mississippi was one of the first young people to take a stand in support of SNCC's first voter-registration project. Along with two other students, in August of 1961 she participated in an anti-segregation protest at the McComb Greyhound Bus station. They were arrested and served a month in jail. Because of her Freedom Movement activities, she was expelled from school. She then led more than 100 of her fellow students in a protest march to City Hall where they were beaten by police and white racists before being arrested. Without a trial of any kind, or informing her parents, Brenda was sentenced to serve 1 year in the state reform school. Her mother was not allowed to visit her. After more than six months of effort, Movement supporters managed to arrange her release on condition that she leave the state. Eventually, she reached Atlanta where she was taken in by SNCC leaders James and Mildred Forman and then Jane Bond.
See Voter Registration & Direct Action in McComb MS for background & more information.
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