[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E121-E122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MR. CHARLES McLAURIN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 10, 2026

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. 
Charles McLaurin of Sunflower County, Mississippi, for his 
extraordinary contributions to the civil rights movement and to the 
advancement of democratic participation in the Mississippi Delta.
  Mr. McLaurin came to Sunflower County in 1962 as a field secretary 
with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), at a time 
when African Americans in the Mississippi Delta were systematically 
denied the right to vote and subjected to economic retaliation and 
violence for challenging segregation. Working out of Indianola, he 
played a central role in launching SNCC's voter registration project in 
the county, often accompanying local residents to the Sunflower County 
courthouse to assert their constitutional right to register to vote.
  Mr. McLaurin understood that meaningful change required trust, 
persistence, and respect for local leadership. He worked closely with 
community members who risked their livelihoods and personal safety 
simply by attempting to register. Among those leaders was Mrs. Fannie 
Lou Hamer, with whom Mr. McLaurin developed a close and enduring 
partnership. He later served as campaign manager for Mrs. Hamer's 
historic 1964 congressional campaign as part of the Mississippi Freedom 
Democratic Party, an effort that challenged the legitimacy of 
Mississippi's segregated political system and brought national 
attention to voter suppression in the south.
  Throughout the environment, Mr. McLaurin faced arrest, intimidation, 
and constant surveillance. Yet he remained steadfast, guided by a

[[Page E122]]

belief that ordinary people--when organized and supported--could 
reshape their communities. His work extended beyond voter registration 
to broader efforts aimed at economic justice, political participation, 
and local empowerment in the Mississippi Delta.
  Following the height of the civil rights movement, Mr. McLaurin made 
Indianola his home, continuing to serve the community through public 
service and civic engagement. His story, preserved through oral history 
by the Library of Congress Civil Rights History Project, stands as a 
powerful testament to the bravery of grassroots organizers whose names 
may not always appear in textbooks, but whose impact is woven into the 
fabric of American democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, Charles McLaurin's legacy is one of quiet heroism, moral 
clarity, and unwavering dedication to equality under the law. I am 
honored to ensure his contributions, his work, and sacrifice are 
recognized for future generations.

                          ____________________