LCUFA History
Lowndes County,
Alabama, is located between Selma and Montgomery, and is one of the
Black Belt counties with a high majority African American
population. It is the home of the first Black independent political
party, and the scene of 47 of the 54 mile Voting Rights March of
1965. Despite its distinguished history, economic conditions have
remained depressed, and Lowndes County has a high unemployment rate,
high rates of poverty, especially for children and the economic
disparity between Blacks and white is great.
Lowndes School
System, while improving under a new Superintendent, has not had
adequate success. More than half of the county population lacks a
high school diploma, and even among graduates there is a high degree
of functional illiteracy. Lowndes County has one of the highest per
capita spending per student and one of the lowest academic
achievement rates. Much of the money in the system is spent on
transportation costs.
The African
American and European American populations of Lowndes have, for the
most part, been utterly polarized throughout history. Traditionally
the public schools have had 100% Black populations and the private
school is 100% white. Recently three white children enrolled in the
public schools.
Politically,
Lowndes County has remained under the political boss system, often
with children succeeding parents in elected positions. A handful of
men actually control the county politics and economics. Independent
participation has been strongly discouraged, not only when new
people attempt to get elected, but when any citizen attempts to
become vocal and involved in the political system.
It is this
scenario that the Lowndes Citizens United for Action emerged and the
issue of fighting the dump on our Civil Rights Trail selected as a
priority. That issue turned to environmental justice.
LCUFA's founders
were six women, Fannie Davis, Debra Harris, Barbara Evans, Quemeller
Lane, Irene Williams and Ann Pringle all of Burkville, Alabama. In
August 2000, the women met with Connie Tucker, director of the
Southern Organizing Committee to plan a mass meeting for the
citizens of Lowndes county. The women met at Annie Mae's Place
located on Harriett Tubman Road in Burkville, Alabama. From this
meeting, LCUFA was born.
Our Accomplishments
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