Ann Atwater (1935 – 2016) was a powerful American civil rights activist and community organizer from Durham, North Carolina. She dedicated her life to fighting poverty, racial inequality, and injustice, especially during the 1960s and 1970s.
Here are key highlights about her:
- Background: Born on July 1, 1935, in Columbus County, North Carolina, she grew up in poverty and had limited formal education.
- Civil Rights Work:
- Atwater became deeply involved in the civil rights movement through grassroots activism.
- She worked with organizations like the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People and the Operation Breakthrough program, focusing on housing rights and fighting against slum conditions for Black families.
- She was fearless in confronting landlords, city officials, and systems of racial discrimination.
- Famous Alliance:
- In 1971, she co-chaired a charrette (community summit) on school desegregation in Durham alongside C.P. Ellis, a former Ku Klux Klan leader.
- At first, they were bitter enemies, but over the course of working together, they developed a deep mutual respect and friendship.
- Their unlikely partnership became a national example of reconciliation, showing how people from opposing sides could unite for justice.
- Legacy & Recognition:
- Their story was documented in the book The Best of Enemies by Osha Gray Davidson (1996) and adapted into a 2019 feature film of the same name, where Taraji P. Henson portrayed Ann Atwater.
- Atwater remained an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised until her passing on June 20, 2016.
- She is remembered as a fearless fighter for justice, compassion, and equality.
