Rosanell Johnson Eaton was born in Franklin County, North Carolina, on April 14, 1921 as the seventh child of the late Edmund and Mamie Johnson. She departed this life at her home on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at the age of 97. She was often referred to as a unique individual.

Rosanell was the great granddaughter of a slave; she grew up in the south and faced many hardships. As a young woman she drank from "Negro" water fountains; used "colored" bathrooms when available; could not use public accommodations like hotels and was not allowed to eat in restaurants. Through it all, she grew up strong and grew up proud!

She married Golden Berg Eaton, also of Franklin County and to their union four children were born, Annie, James McCoy, Armenta and Jesse Leon Eaton. She and her husband were farmers.

Rosanell was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Annie Eaton Montague, sons James McCoy and Rev. Jesse Leon Eaton; sisters, Lessie Jones, Louise Woods; brothers Sanford, Julius, Nathaniel and Pernell Johnson.

Rosanell accepted Christ at the age of eight and joined New Liberty Baptist Church. In later years she joined Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville, NC.

Rosanell lived a life characterized by her strength, dedication and faithfulness which caused her to work on behalf of others well beyond the boundaries of Franklin County. She felt compelled to reach out to people and to help them where, when and in any way she could. As the saying goes, "she never met a stranger."

She often reminded her children and many she met that "if you put the Lord first, have faith and work hard, you can tackle just about anything." She lived her life with conviction, often stating "That you should always take a stand on what you believe in even if you have to stand alone." Rosanell was a woman of great integrity.

It was Rosanell's love for people that led her to become a strong advocate for civil rights, voting rights, human rights and social justice. She knew that every race, color and creed should be treated fairly because all men were created equal. Therefore, she sought to bring about change in fair housing, prison reform, racial integration, education, environmental justice and voting rights.

Rosanell knew that people had bled and died for the right to vote because voting could make the difference in people's lives. When she grew up Black people were required to pass literacy tests and endured other discrimination tactics imposed upon them in order to inhibit them from voting.

However, as a young adult, Rosanell was determined to vote. One day she asked her mother and brother, Nathaniel, to carry her to Louisburg to register to vote. They climbed into a wagon that was pulled by a mule and traveled seven miles to the courthouse in Louisburg, NC.

Rosanell was aware that literacy tests were required before Black people could register to vote, but was not aware of what her literacy test would be. Upon arriving at the courthouse, she was instructed by the election officials to stand up straight with her arms at her sides, look straight at the three of them and recite the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America without error.

Rosanell followed the instructions and passed her literacy test. Rosanell was one of the first African Americans in Franklin County to make it into the voting rolls during the Jim Crow era. She had a calling and passion that championed voting until her death.

For 30 years she served as a Special Registration Commissioner in Franklin County. She took this appointment seriously and conducted voter registration drives at churches, visited private homes, public locations, Louisburg College and worked from her home -- and when and where she could. For over 40 years she worked at the polls during county elections, assisting voters to ensure they had a pleasant and fair voting experience.

Not only did Rosanell register voters in Franklin County but she also assisted with voter registration in Alabama, Georgia, New Orleans, South Carolina and Florida.

In 1985 she coordinated a delegation of youth and adults from Franklin County to participate in SCLC's National Voting Rights Pilgrimage that began in Carlton, Alabama and went to Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 20th Anniversary and renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This pilgrimage journeyed through cities and towns registering people to vote along the way.

In 1995 Rosanell was presented the "Invisible Giant" award in Selma, Alabama, by Dr. Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) for having assisted in registering more than 4,000 voters throughout this country. She subsequently was inducted into the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, Alabama.

In 1996 she accepted the challenge presented to her by Governor James B. Hunt to serve as an International Cultural Exchange Ambassador to Ghana, West Africa. In 1999 she served as a youth advisor for the World Special Olympics.

In 2013 -- at the ripe old age of 92 -- Rosanell embarked on a different avenue in her pursuit for voting rights when she challenged unfair legislation enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly (HB-589). This legislation was commonly known as the Voter ID Bill that ultimately would prohibit some elderly people and minorities from voting. She was more determined than ever to take her fight to the streets and to the courts. For three years she made public protests in the streets through the Moral Monday Movement, lobbied legislators and spoke against the Bill to audiences across the state.

One of Rosanell's most notable quotes was: "Fed Up and Fired Up!" She was one of the three lead plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit against the State of North Carolina and Governor Pat McCrory. Rosanell traveled to Washington, D. C., on three separate occasions, lobbying Congressmen and President Barack Obama to seek their assistance in helping her and fellow citizens fight the oppressive Voter ID Bill. Through the federal courts, the Bill was ultimately overturned.

In September 2015, Rosanell participated in a national NAACP march known as "America's Journey for Justice" that began in Selma, Alabama and went to Washington, D.C., in support of voting rights. She believed that God granted her the determination and strength to lead the delegation of marchers at the beginning of every leg of the journey from Raleigh north into Virginia. She said on many occasions that she believed she was born to work for equal rights.

On March 16, 2016, Rosanell was personally invited to the White House to meet President Barack Obama and they spoke about voting rights.

Much of Rosanell's history can be found in the Oral History Collection as well as in the Southern Historical Collection in the Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Rosanell walked by faith and was the sum total of her experiences. She lived a life full of purpose and commitment to justice and equality. She sought to make the world a better place while building the kingdom of God.

Funeral services for Mrs. Eaton will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville, with the Rev. Richard Mills officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.

Survivors include her daughter, Armenta Eaton of the home; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were by Richardson Funeral Home, Louisburg.

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