death_date nationality name birth_date known_for article_title birth_name occupation
may 22 , 2007 september 4 , 1921 american fannie lee chaney september 4 , 1921 civil rights activist fannie lee chaney
 fannie lee chaney baker
fannie lee chaney

fannie lee chaney -lrb- september 4 , 1921 -- may 22 , 2007 -rrb- was an american baker turned civil rights activist after her son james chaney was murdered by the ku klux klan during the 1964 freedom summer rides in mississippi .
after her son 's murder , mrs. chaney sued five restaurants in meridian for racial discrimination .
she was fired from her job and could not find other work .
crosses were burned on her lawn , and a firebomb intended for her family 's house destroyed that of a neighbor .
she moved to new york city , finding work at a nursing home .
after 30 years , she retired and moved to new jersey .
in 2005 she testified for the state of mississippi in the murder case against edgar ray killen , one of her son 's killers .
killen was cleared of murder by the jury , but convicted of manslaughter and given a 60 years sentence , which he is serving .
