US CONGRESSMAN BENNIE
THOMPSON @ ROAR'S 3RD
ANNUAL FANNIE LOU HAMER DAY

HAMER MEMORIAL GARDEN 2002
ROAR is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization first founded in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
by Patricia M. Thompson to assist kids to get out of gangs by locating and providing
resources.  ROAR re-organized in 1999 to include Cultural Arts & Computer Technology as
venues for education and entertainment.

We began sprucing up the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden located in Ruleville, MS in
1999 and started having annual Hamer celebrations on or around October 6th, Fannie Lou's
birthday.  In 2004, Ruleville's Alderwoman Hattie Jordan led a drive to raise private funds for
new developments at The Hamer Memorial Garden and applied for and received a grant on
behalf of the City of Ruleville, MS for $100,000 from The Mississippi Development Authority.
They were awarded the grant and the City of Ruleville began working on new developments
in 2005
May 2004, ROAR organized a Freedom Tour 2004 Cleveland, MS Committee  to
host The James E. Chaney Foundation, Inc. Freedom Tour 2004 National Tour
stop in the Mississippi Delta.  THE ROAR FOUNDATION/MSD, INC. (Mississippi
Delta Charter) was developed from this committee.  ROAR/MSDI spearheaded a
fundraisier with Amzie Moore Estates for a monument honoring Amzie Moore at
Amzie Moore Park in Cleveland, MS. Seated in chair on right is the late legendary
and civil rights pioneer Victoria Gray Adams. Adams was a close friend of Amzie
and Fannie Lou Hamer.
The Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden was re-dedicated
on Saturday, July 12, 2008 by The City of Ruleville, MS.
In March 2007, ROAR organized The Fannie Lou Hamer
Legacy Committee for the 30th Anniversary Commemoration
Celebration of the home-going of Mrs. Hamer. Dr. Mack
Jones, then Director of Delta Research Center at Mississippi
Valley State University, was the Coordinator.
Repaying Our Ancestors Respectfully mission is to serve as a
catalyst to Organizations, Corporations, Small Businesses,
Educational Institutions and Citizens that serve the interest of
youths, hereby, pledging to help support and/or create programs,
dialogs, facilities and environments that will promote positive
growth allowing youths to maximize their potentials.  Additionally,
ROAR’S mission includes educating the masses by using
Computer Technology, Communication Arts, Cultural Arts and
Environmental Science.



ROAR’S OBJECTIVES

  • Workshops/Special Programs for Youth

  • Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Celebration  (On or around October 6th)


ROAR’S INITIATIVES

  • Secured services of Mr. Tim Price/Delta Lawn Service, Inc.
    for upkeep of Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden (2000 -
    2002)                                              

  • Lobbied Ruleville's Mayor Shirley Edwards for Signs "Home
    of Fannie Lou Hamer" entering into Ruleville on US Highway
    #49

  • Published "Hamer Times"
    Newsletters                                              (2000)        

  • Inaugural Fannie Lou Hamer Celebration  w/Hamer Estate in
    Ruleville, MS at the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial
    Garden                                                               (October 6, 2000)

  • First African American to graduate from Delta State
    University, Cleveland, MS,  Lucy Hutton Seaberry
    Retirement Banquet/Parade/Street named Seaberry
    Boulevard                                                                    (May 2001)

  • Lobbied for and Dedicated Amzie Moore Park with Amzie
    Moore Estates and citizens of  Cleveland, MS                           
    (September 29,  2001)

  • Rites of Passage 10-Week Workshop @ Perspective, Inc. St.
    Louis Park, MN                                                      (January 2002)

  • Consultant for New Jersey's Secretary of State Inaugural
    Fannie Lou Hamer Tribute in Atlantic City, New Jersey             
    (October 5-6 2003)       

  • Organized Freedom Tour 2004 Cleveland Committee to host
    James E. Chaney Foundation, Inc.                          (May 2004)

  • 5TH Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Day                   Ground
    Breaking Ceremony for Gazebo at Fannie Lou Hamer
    Memorial Garden led by City of Ruleville's Alderwoman
    Hattie Jordan. Mrs. Jordan spearheaded a drive to raise
    funds for the gazebo which led to the application of a
    grant.   Also in attendance was Mississippi State
    Representative Sara Thomas, MS Supreme Court Justice
    James Graves, Civil Rights Pioneers Victoria Gray Adams,  
    Mr. Owen Brooks, Mr. Charles McLaurin, Mr. Hollis Watkins,
    Mr. Lawrence Guyot, Rev. Ed King, Minister Barbara Devine
    Russell (CRM Pioneer Annie Devine's daughter) Rev. Dr.
    Cecil Gray (Mrs. Victoria Gray Adams' son) Rev. Dr. Ron V.
    Myers, Sr.,  Mrs. Vergie Hamer Faulkner (Hamer's daughter)  
    and Mr. Jimmy Lacy (Hamer's nephew)
    (Ruleville, MS                                                    October 2, 2004)

  • Partnership with Delta State University to Sponsor/Host Dr.
    Maya Angelou                                            (December 5, 2004)

  • Granite Sign for Amzie Moore Park/5th Annual Amzie Moore
    Day                                                                   (October 1, 2005)


  • Inaugural H.A.D. Humanitarian Service Award Program in
    honor of Hamer, Adams and Devine              (October 7, 2007)

  • Consultant to (BBC) British Broadcasting
    Company for documentary on Fannie Lou
    Hamer                                                   (March 2008)


ROAR’S supporters include Civil Rights Veterans Mr. Owen
Brooks, Mr. Lawrence Guyot, Mr. Charles McLaurin,  Dorie &
Joyce Ladner, Dr. Gwendolyn Patton/Friends of Montgomery Trail,
Mr. Hollis Watkins, Henry Aronson and Ruth Koenig.  Other
supporters throughout the years include State Council on Black
Minnesotans, US Congressman Bennie Thompson, MS State
Senator Willie Simmons, Bolivar County Supervisor James
McBride, Ruleville’s Alderwoman Hattie Jordan, Vergie Hamer
Faulkner (Fannie Lou Hamer’s daughter) Jimmy Lacy (Hamer's
nephew) Minister Barbara Devine Russell, (CRM Pioneer Annie
Devine’s Daughter) Awele Makeba, Amzie Moore Estates and New
Jersey’s Secretary of State Regena Thomas, Delta State
University and University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) the late
Victoria Gray Adams and June E. Johnson among others.  

Wal-Mart of Cleveland,MS,  Wal-Mart of Indianola, MS,  Chatman &
Associates, Washington Enterprise, Ross & Associates, Cleveland
Community Bank, Gee’s Neighborhood Store, Myers Community
Grocery and Beauty Supply, FayBar Inc. Boone Law Firm, Byas
Funeral Home, Inc. Phillips Chapel Baptist Church, Fleming
Lumber Company, Stan’s Barber Shop, Byrd Service Station,
Super Valu,  The Country Platter, Ajax J. Morris, Jr. Realtor &
Appraisal Services, Magnolia Community Development
Corporation, National Council of Negro Women, Delta Institute for
Entrepreneurial, Products & Supplies Company, Primerica/Mr. Ned
Tolliver, Jr., Bolongongo’s Management Advertisement &
Production Agency, (Cleveland) Stephanie’s Discount Store, Jug’s
One Stop, Kan's Food Mart, (Ruleville, MS) Sunflower Economic
Development Corporation (Sunflower, MS) Roberts Meat Market
(Mound Bayou) R. L. AARON’S (Shelby) and Exceptionale`
(Greenville) supported “The Hamer Times” newsletter.

Repaying Our Ancestors Respectfully
ROAR INTERNATIONAL
P. O. Box 581712
Minneapolis, MN  55458-1712


Email: roar@fannielouhamer.inf
Web Address: www.fannielouhamer.info
www.fannielouhamer.info/roar


Disclaimer:  THE ROAR FOUNDATION, INC. provides information on
this web site for educational/informational and networking
purposes only!  Use of any copyrighted materials must be
approved by its owner.  ROAR claims no responsibility for misuse
of information obtained on this web site.


(c) copyrighted THE ROAR FOUNDATION INC.                      April 2006
Last Updated                                                                    October   2010
Repaying Our Ancestors Respectfully
U S HIGHWAY #49
RULEVILLE, MS
ROAR'S Freedom Tour 2004 Cleveland
Committee plant trees at Amzie Moore Park
in honor of Senator Robert F. Kennedy's trip to
the Mississippi Delta and to the late James E.
Calhoun.
Roosevelt Calhoun tells crowd "I miss
me" at Amzie Moore Park during the
week of June 20, 2004 visit from James
E. Chaney Foundation.

James E. Calhoun was from Cleveland,
MS and suffered a brutal murder similar,
in parts, to Chaney.  After Calhoun's
murder, the Trailer Residential Park (all
white residents) was vandalized beyond
repair.  The City of Cleveland purchased
the land and it became Shady Grove
Park.  On September 29, 2001, the park
was renamed Amzie Moore Park.  

Roosevelt is standing on the walkway of
the Amzie Moore Trail.
The Fannie Lou Hamer Statue
Committee (FLHSC) is a
not-for-profit, non political
organization comprised of local,
regional and national civil
rights activists, scholars and
community leaders who serve
as fundraising and educational
ambassadors in conjunction
with the City of Ruleville, public,
private and individual
initiatives to help achieve the
goals of the Fannie Lou Hamer
Statue project.

The FLHSC exists solely for the
purpose of  supporting efforts
to honor and pay tribute to Mrs.
Hamer by commissioning the
construction of a full-length
statue of the civil and human
rights leader, to be placed on
permanent display at the Fannie
Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in
Ruleville, Mississippi.

The National Black United Fund
(NBUF) is our fiscal sponsor for
this project.
National Black
United Fund
(NBUF) is our
fiscal sponsor
for the Hamer
statue project.