Person · 1903–1986
Ella Baker
The master organizer behind the NAACP, SCLC, and SNCC who believed in "group-centered leadership," not charismatic stars.
The organizing backbone of the [[civil-rights-movement]].
For half a century Ella Baker built the institutions of the freedom struggle from behind the scenes. She organized for the NAACP, helped run King's SCLC, and — crucially — mentored the students who founded SNCC in 1960, insisting they stay independent and democratic.
Her conviction that "strong people don't need strong leaders" shaped a generation of grassroots organizers and a more participatory model of social change.