Frederick D. Reese

"Frederick Reese" redirects here. For the Episcopal bishop, see Frederick F. Reese. For the Welsh historian and academic, see Frederick Rees.
Frederick D. Reese
Frederick D. Reese in 2016
Born
Frederick Douglas Reese

(1929-11-28)November 28, 1929
Selma, Alabama, U.S.
DiedApril 5, 2018(2018-04-05) (aged 88)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Alma materAlabama State University
Occupation(s)Teacher, minister, activist
Years active1960–2018
MovementSelma Voting Rights Movement

Frederick Douglas Reese (November 28, 1929 – April 5, 2018) was an American civil rights activist, educator and minister from Selma, Alabama. Known as a member of Selma's "Courageous Eight",[1] Reese was the president of the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL) when it invited the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr. to Selma to amplify the city's local voting rights campaign.[2] This campaign eventually gave birth to the Selma to Montgomery marches, which later led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Reese was also president of the Selma Teachers Association, and in January 1965 he mobilized Selma's teachers to march as a group for their right to vote.[2]

Reese retired from teaching and from February 2015 and until his death in April 2018, he was active as a minister at Selma's Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church.[3]

  1. ^ "The Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama, 1865-1972, National Park Service" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b "F.D. Reese interview". cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org.
  3. ^ Kokomo Herald, "Civil Rights hero impacts local faith community", February 19, 2015