On Monday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., a free screening of Dying to Vote will take place at the Joe Paul Theater in the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. This event, open to both the university and the wider Hattiesburg community, will dive into the powerful stories of civil rights activists in Mississippi, centering on the life of Hattiesburg’s own Vernon Dahmer.
Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Loki Mulholland, Dying to Vote directly showcases the sacrifices made by those who paid the ultimate price for voter equality during the Civil Rights Movement. The film highlights Dahmer, a dedicated NAACP leader whose life was cut short in 1966 after the Ku Klux Klan firebombed his home in retaliation for his efforts to register Black voters. Dahmer’s story underscores the steep cost of fighting for rights in the Deep South.
“As our election approaches, it is worth remembering that people in Mississippi died for the right to vote,” said Dr. Robert Press, a professor of political science at USM and an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Human Rights. “In 1966, Vernon Dahmer, then president of the local NAACP, was attacked by the KKK in his family home for encouraging Blacks to register to vote.”
Dahmer’s children escaped, but Dahmer himself perished in the attack.
Press emphasized the documentary’s ability to connect past and present struggles for democratic rights, highlighting how U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi appears in the film, drawing parallels between the 1966 attack on Dahmer’s home and the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack.
“Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson is featured in the film,” Press said. “He draws connections between these historic attacks on voting rights and more recent attempts to reverse democratic outcomes.”
Attendees will also have the unique chance to hear from Dennis Dahmer, Vernon Dahmer’s son, who will offer personal insights into his father’s legacy and the unrelenting fight for equality. The event is backed by USM’s Center for Human Rights and Civil Liberties, the Students for Human Rights chapter, the Office of the Provost, the Office of Community and Belonging, and the College of Arts and Sciences.
USM student Alaina Chasteen stressed the importance of the event for students and the community.
“Dying to Vote is an important event because it informs people about attacks against democracy that have happened in our country,” Chasteen said. “Students should attend to gain a better understanding of why their vote matters. They can ask questions to someone who was personally impacted by these events and gain a new perspective.”
Chasteen expressed her hope that the film would persuade younger generations toward civic involvement.
“It is projected that the youth vote will be one of the most impactful and powerful votes in this upcoming election,” she explained. “This country will one day be passed to the youth of today, and so they need to be active participants in hopes of creating a better future tomorrow.”
The screening will offer an inspiring reminder of the sacrifices made in the name of equality and voting rights, aiming to create a sense of responsibility and remembrance within the USM and Hattiesburg communities.
