Vernon Dahmer: Mississippi's civil rights hero
A new film, By Any Means, portrays the 1966 murder of Vernon Dahmer. How did the activist promote black voting rights, and why did he pay with his life?
Image: Vernon Dahmer | Fair Use
Since 2013, rulings by the United States Supreme Court have eroded the Voters Rights Act. This landmark piece of legislation, originally enacted in 1965, enshrined the right of Black Americans to vote without fear of racist intimidation.
With one especially shocking decision in April 2026, the Supreme Court has practically dismantled the Voting Rights Act’s key provisions. So, it’s arguably never been more important to remember heroes of the 1960s civil rights movement.
One such figure is Vernon Dahmer, who publicly encouraged local African Americans to register to vote. His shocking death at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan in January 1966 is depicted in the new historical crime thriller By Any Means. The real story of Dahmer’s life, however, is already plenty engrossing without the Hollywood treatment, as we at Sky HISTORY have found.
What kind of America was Vernon Dahmer born into?
Vernon Dahmer was born on 10th March 1908 in the Forest County area of Mississippi. By the 1960s, he was married to teacher Ellie and had eight children. A very active, high-profile member of his local community, Vernon himself taught Sunday school at Shady Grove Baptist Church. He also owned several business ventures, including a grocery store, planing mill and cotton farm.
In the mid-20th century, African Americans made up a larger percentage of the population in Mississippi than any other US state. Nonetheless, discrimination against the Black community was rife in Forest County. In theory, they could turn up at the ballot box in their droves to elect officials committed to eliminating this racial segregation. However, voting would first require registering to vote, a task much easier said than done.
In practice, African Americans who did go to the Forest County courthouse to register could find themselves facing a wide array of hurdles. White staff members at the courthouse would put Black applicants through unfair literacy tests essentially rigged against them. There were also prohibitively high poll taxes to pay. Worse, members of the white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan threatened violence against blacks seeking to better their lot.
How Vernon Dahmer stood up for civil rights
Vernon Dahmer not only joined the National Association of Colored People (NAACP) but also served as president of its Forrest County chapter for two terms. In this role, he asked the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to help African Americans register as voters. However, what made Dahmer truly inspirational was his willingness to lead by example.
As a wealthy businessman with major clout in the area, Dahmer was in an especially good position to do this. He struck a deal with the local sheriff to ensure that Black people looking to register to vote could do so in his own grocery store. This provided a sanctuary safe from the fierce glare of hostile, anti-Black groups who could often lie in wait at the courthouse. In a radio broadcast, Dahmer also pledged to help cover the cost of poll taxes for Black people who could not otherwise afford to pay them.
The Ku Klux Klan snaps – with horrific results
The far-right hate group the Ku Klux Klan had originally formed in 1865 but gone into hiding intermittently since then. In the 1960s, though, they were back with a vengeance. In the early hours of 10th January 1966, two carloads of Klansmen pulled up outside Vernon Dahmer’s house and firebombed it. Dahmer, already accustomed to receiving death threats, grabbed a shotgun and started firing it through the windows.
Though others in the house at the time of the attack managed to escape largely unscathed, Vernon was left with severe burns. Worse, the flames had seared his lungs, leading him to succumb to his injuries in hospital just hours later. Locals were deeply shaken by this turn of events, but rallied around quickly to help the surviving Dahmers rebuild their family home.
Vernon Dahmer’s lasting impact
Multiple Klansmen would be jailed for the murder of Vernon Dahmer, including Sam Bowers, the mastermind of the operation. In the decades since Dahmer’s death, his achievements and legacy have been extensively commemorated. His widow Ellie served as an election commissioner in Forrest County in the 1990s.
On 10th January 2016, the 50th anniversary of Vernon Dahmer’s death, his legacy was honoured at a special ceremony in Mississippi. A bronze statue of the civil rights activist was also erected just outside the Forrest County courthouse in January 2020.
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