Marie Foster

Marie Foster
Born
Marie Priscilla Martin

(1917-10-24)October 24, 1917
Wilcox County, Alabama, United States
DiedSeptember 6, 2003(2003-09-06) (aged 85)
Selma, Alabama, United States
Occupation(s)Activist
Dental assistant
Known forBeing "the mother of the voting rights movement"

Marie Priscilla Martin Foster (October 24, 1917 – September 6, 2003) was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. during the 1960s. Her successful voter registration in Dallas County, Alabama fueled her to become an activist, and she began teaching adult classes to help people pass the required literacy tests. She was the Alabama foot soldier that convinced Martin Luther King Jr. to come to Selma, Alabama and helped organize the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. Her dedication gave her the moniker "The Mother of the Voting Rights Movement," which was shortened to Mother Foster.[1]

  1. ^ "2020 Honorees". National Women's History Alliance. Retrieved January 8, 2020.