Mary Hamilton, an activist and Freedom Rider, was arrested multiple times in the course of her organizing, but it was a court appearance in 1963 that would lead to a groundbreaking victory for African Americans. Hamilton worked with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) as one of only two female field secretaries for the organization, and the first sent to organize in the South. A remarkably effective community organizer, she was well known throughout the Movement for riding into small rural towns in the South and organizing non-violent protests. Called to testify as a witness in a case in Alabama, the prosecutor referred to Hamilton only by her first name, as was the custom when addressing African Americans in a courtroom. The honorifics of Mr., Miss, or Mrs. were reserved only for whites. Hamilton refused to respond to the prosecutor and stated that she would answer only when addressed respectfully. The judge found her in contempt of court, fined her $50, and sentenced her to five days in jail.
Represented by LDF attorneys, Hamilton’s case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor, in the 1964 landmark decision, Hamilton v. Alabama. The decision established that minority groups should be addressed with the same courtesies and honorifics as whites. While this story may not be well known today, Hamilton’s victory made headlines
around the country and immediately put her shoulder-to-shoulder with other civil rights heroes of the era.
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