She taught a younger generation to appreciate black history
Aside from her advocacy in the civic space, Mamie was also a great teacher. She started her teaching journey at the elementary level until her retirement in 1983. She believed she could change the mindsets of many generations to come, rather than leave them to be raised by the streets. That was what inspired her to be in the classroom despite her image as a public figure.
What her students remember most about Mamie is her brilliance in inculcating sentiments around racial injustice in the assignments and lessons she gave them. What most people find remarkable is how she did this without fear or intimidation. Many black teachers in Mississippi lost their job by simply talking about the Emmet Till tragedy, but Mamie strategically found ways to eulogize her son in how she taught her students to appreciate black history. Her students did this through drama or speeches they acted out or delivered as part of the series of tasks she had assigned to them.
