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Annie Lee Wilkerson Cooper (born Annie Lee Wilkerson; June 2, 1910 – November 24, 2010) was an African-American civil rights activist. She is best known for punching Dallas County, Alabama Sheriff Jim Clark in the face during the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches.[1][2] Cooper's lasting legacy is recognized as her activism in the Selma Voting Rights Marches and her role as a female leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

In the 1940s, Cooper owned a restaurant in Pennsylvania. A white man who wanted to lease and sanction off part of Cooper's building asked that she segregate her seating, but she refused and revoked the sublease. Her restaurant was amongst the only in town that were non-discriminatory, leading to her refusal to sanction it based on race.

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On June 2, 2010, Annie Lee Cooper became a centenarian. Reflecting on her longevity, she stated, "My mother lived to be 106, so maybe I can live that long, too." On November 24, 2010, Cooper died of natural causes in the Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma, Alabama.

She then worked as a clerk at the Torch Motel. (added source)

Cooper was then arrested and charged with criminal provocation. She was held in jail for 11 hours before the sheriff's deputies dropped the charges and released her, hastened to protect her from being attacked by Clark upon his return to prison. Cooper spent the period of her incarceration singing spirituals. Some in the sheriff's department wanted to charge her with attempted murder, and she was let go. Following this incident, Cooper became a registered voter in Alabama.

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Annie Lee Cooper played a monumental role in the Voting Rights Movement of 1965. Proceeding her incident with Jim Clark, she was immediately recognized for her courage. Black people throughout Selma celebrated Cooper's ability to advocate for herself and fight for her vote. Her incident, as well as Bloody Sunday, which occurred six weeks after Cooper's encounter with Clark, were critical steps in passing the Voting Rights Act of 1975.

In modern media, such as the film Selma, more light is shone on Annie Lee Cooper and her influential role as a woman during the Civil Rights Movement. In contrast to media that has been published in the past about Cooper, which displays her as the initial attacker of Jim Clark, this film works to shine a light on her legacy and displays her as a hero and promoter of equality.