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.