Pamela Rush

Pamela Sue Rush (died July 2020) was an American poverty, civil rights, and environmental justice activist who lived in rural Tyler, Alabama, and who fought against poverty and inequality. Rush lived in a dilapidated mobile home with raw sewage. Coleman Flowers connected Rush with Rev. Dr. William Barber II, which led to Rush becoming an active member and one of the faces of the New Poor People’s Campaign led by Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis.

She became an activist for poor people in rural areas and was featured in several publications including NPR, The Economist and Time magazine. Rush received disability payments and lived on a fixed income of less than $1,000 a month.

Death Rush had diabetes and contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama. She was hospitalized in Selma, Alabama, for two weeks. Lowndes County, where Pamela lived, had the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the state of Alabama. Rush died as a result of the illness in July 2020, at the age of 49.