The courageous stand of the Chattanooga Five
Discover the inspiring story of five women who turned an act of racial violence into a landmark legal victory, shaping the fight for civil rights.
Their defining moment
The Chattanooga Five, comprised of Fannie Mae Crumsey, Viola Ellison, Lela Mae Evans, Opal Lee Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, were five Black women in Chattanooga, Tennessee, whose courageous legal fight against the Ku Klux Klan became an important civil-rights case. On April 19, 1980, while together in Chattanooga, members of the local Ku Klux Klan attacked them. Four of the women were struck by gunfire, while Fannie Mae Crumsey was injured by broken glass. All five survived this horrific ordeal.
Seeking justice against all odds
The initial criminal prosecution did not provide the justice the women and their community expected. Two of the defendants were acquitted by an all-white jury, while another received a nine-month sentence and served only about six months. These verdicts contributed to several nights of unrest in Chattanooga. However, rather than stop fighting, the five women brought a federal civil lawsuit against the Klan. Attorney Randolph McLaughlin and his colleagues utilized the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, a Reconstruction-era federal law originally created to protect Black Americans from organized racial violence and intimidation.
A legacy of triumph and recognition
In 1982, a federal jury found the Klan organization and individual Klansmen liable, awarding the women $535,000 in damages. The judgment also resulted in an injunction restricting Klan activities in Chattanooga. The Chattanooga Five's case became a model for subsequent civil-rights litigation against the Klan and other organized racial violence, demonstrating how plaintiffs can fight racial violence and win. Their story has recently received renewed attention through the documentary, "How to Sue the Klan: The Legacy of the Chattanooga Five," which has received major recognition, including a 2026 MidSouth Emmy Award.
Their journey embodies the spirit of Ingrid's Corner, showcasing how victims can become conquerors, and inspiring us to pursue justice and overcome adversity.