She’s best known for her brave stand during the Selma Voting Rights Movement in 1965, a defining moment that put her on the map as a fearless advocate for justice. This Alabama-born activist made headlines when she fought back against Sheriff Jim Clark after he swung a law enforcement club at her while trying to remove her from a voting line at Dallas County Courthouse. It was a powerful act of resistance—one that many still remember today.

Before she became widely recognized, life wasn’t easy. She left school in the seventh grade, which was common for many children in her community at the time. Eventually, she found work as a nursing home caregiver, dedicating herself to helping others. But sadly, she was unjustly let go from that job because of her growing involvement in civil rights activism—a clear sign of the sacrifices she had to make.

Born to Charles Wilkerson and Lucy Jones, she grew up with nine siblings in Selma, Alabama, where her early years were shaped by both hardship and resilience. Over time, she lived and worked in several states, including Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, gaining experiences that would later inform her activism. However, in the early 1960s, she made the decision to return to her roots in Alabama—where her journey as a change-maker truly began to unfold.