The Honorable Unita Blackwell's life is a testament to strength and the spirit of overcoming. She was born to sharecroppers in Coahoma County, Mississippi, a place where hard work was common place. Ms. Blackwell fought a virtual caste system to equalize voting and other civil rights. When faced with one of her most trying times, she emphatically stated, "Well Lord, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die trying. I'm going to die for freedom."

Ms. Blackwell held true to her words and managed to not die for freedom, but to live as a symbol of peace. She elevated herself through the ranks in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, as well as other positions into triumph. Unita Blackwell's most notable accomplishment was when she became the first African American female to be elected mayor in the United States, and the first African American mayor in a city that years ago would not even let her vote.