Bell, Mary Kate
Biography:
Mrs. Mary Kate (Fishe) Bell was the first African American candidate for office in Sumter County when she ran for justice of the peace in a special election held July 1965, eventually coming in second place. She and three other women, Gloria Wise, Mamie Campbell, and Lena Turner, we arrested on July 20, 1965 during the election for standing in the "white only" line, sparking mass demonstrations in Americus, Sumter County. The four women were released by court-order August 1, 1965. She was also active in the Atlanta demonstrations during her time as a student at Spelman.
Alternate Names:
Fishe, Mary Kate
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Archival Collections and Reference Resources
- WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection (Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection)
- Series of WSB-TV newsfilm clips of African Americans protesting for the release of arrested women in Americus, Georgia, 1965 July 28 (moving images)
- Series of WSB-TV newsfilm clips of Lester Maddox speaking to a white audience, African Americans protest segregation, and newsman Tom Brokaw interviews mayor T. Griffin Walker in Americus, Georgia, 1965 July 29 (moving images)
- WSB-TV newsfilm clip of Lester Maddox speaking to a white audience, African Americans protest segregation, and newsman Tom Brokaw interviews mayor T. Griffin Walker in Americus, Georgia, 1965 July 29 (news)
- WSB-TV newsfilm clip of press conference with Reverend Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Reverend J. R. Campbell of the Sumter County Movement speaking about civil rights demonstrations in Americus, Georgia, 1965 July 26 (news)
- WSB-TV newsfilm clip of press conference with Reverend Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Reverend J. R. Campbell of the Sumter County Movement speaking about civil rights demonstrations in Americus, Georgia, 1965 July 26 (moving images)