Sumter, South Carolina (February 14, 1874- April 12, 1969) age 85 yrs

Charlotta Amanda Spears Bass was an American educator, newspaper publisher-editor, and civil rights activist. She focused on various other issues. These included housing rights, voting rights, labor rights, and police brutality and harassment. Bass begain her career as a conservative Republican. By the 1940s she moved to the political left. In 1948 she supported Progressive Party candidate Henry Wallace in his failed bid for the presidency. Four years later she was nominated for Vice President on the Progressive Party ticket. She was the first African American woman to carry a political party’s nomination. She achieved this for the second highest office in the land. Bass ended her acceptance speech at the Chicago convention of the Progressive Party. It took place on Sunday, March 30, 1952. She concluded with “I accept this great honor.” I give you as my slogan in this campaign- “Let my people go.”