Born on June 15, 1943, in Mobile, Alabama, Beulah Mae Donald would become a symbol of grassroots resistance against white supremacy. Her son, Michael Donald, was lynched by Ku Klux Klan members in 1981. In a landmark legal move, Beulah Mae filed a civil suit against the Klan, backed by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The 1987 verdict awarded her a $7 million judgment, bankrupting the United Klans of America. Her bravery in seeking justice through the courts made legal history and demonstrated the power of civil litigation as a tool for civil rights enforcement. Beulah Mae Donald’s legacy stands as a testament to a mother’s love and courage, and her actions helped deal a major blow to organized hate in America.
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