Harris worked at the all-Black Monroe Comprehensive High School, where she taught Latin, French, and Social Studies.
Harris, a minister, architect, church builder, and entrepreneur, passed in 1951, long before the Albany Movement began.
Whites used intimidation including poll taxes and literacy tests to African Americans that were necessary to pay or pass in order to attain voting privileges.
McCree had seven siblings: John H, Rosetta (Bae), Juanita (Neat), Alphonso, Elijah (Peter Rabit), Bill, Rutha Mae and Emory Harris, each actively participating in the movement.
[6] These Freedom Singers were likely to be imprisoned for protesting, which allowed them to boost morale and increase positivity through song whilst they remained committed to their movement.
In the summer of 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. and Abernathy returned for the sentencing of December convictions for which they would rather be jailed then pay the fine.
Albany sheriff Lorie Pritchett, who encouraged officers to use nonviolent tactics in public/media settings, took care of the fines so that King and Abernathy were released against their will.
McCree and others of her family actively worked behind the scenes of the movement tirelessly protecting protesting students both black and white, developing strategy, preparing meals, and donating finances, all to keep the cause running smoothly while avoiding jail time.
McCree L. Harris became a political activist leader as a result of her teaching job at the all-black Monroe Comprehensive High School.
[9] Harris advocated for equal rights and desegregation, and her main goal was to "raise the educational status of black youth".
[10] When the Albany Movement started in the fall of 1961, she encouraged her students to boycott the public transportation system, to take part in local sit-ins, and join marches.
[10][12] Despite this, she was able to contribute a considerable amount to the movement, and she participated in civil rights marches and evaluations of public facilities.
[10] She worked vigorously and privately for the Albany Movement because she could not jeopardize her job as a Social Studies, Latin, and French teacher at all-black Monroe High School.
[16] Local college students would come to protest with Harris too; she worked hard to bring the community together to fight the racial inequality that was happening in the south.
[10] In a personal statement, Harris said, "My main goal in the (Albany Civil Rights) Movement was to raise the educational status of black youth in our community.
[9] During her participation, she worked alongside Shirley Sherrod and Martin Luther King Jr. to lead voter registration marches.
[21] Harris also went with Martin Luther King Jr. to Saint Augustine, Florida, in an attempt to desegregate the Munson Motor Hotel.
After the flood, many black citizens of Albany accused the city of purposely diverting floodwater away from wealthy white families and towards their neighborhoods, creating more racial tension.
[23] Harris advised Keenan on the difficult task of admitting the greater property damage to black homes while denying any sort of manipulation by the government.