The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute announced today, the Voices of Courage and Justice Festivities commemorating 60 years since the assassination of Medgar Evers. The week-long commemoration will be held at the Jackson Convention Complex, Two Mississippi Museums, Smith-Robertson Museum, and Millsaps College. Tickets to the festivities are available here.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers are regarded as two of the civil rights movement’s most influential leaders. Medgar was the NAACP’s first field secretary in Mississippi. Myrlie worked alongside him to open and manage the first Mississippi office. The NAACP Mississippi State Office unrelenting work was instrumental in capturing critical evidence and witnesses in the investigation into Emmitt Till’s murder.
Following Medgar’s assassination, Myrlie Evers would lead a more than 30 year campaign to bring her husband’s killer to justice. During those years she raised their three children, held prominent positions in the corporate and private sector, and by only one vote in 1995 she led the NAACP as its third Chairman of the Board.
“The legacy of Medgar and Myrlie Evers is important because it serves as a roadmap for all activists, advocates, and allies. We, as a country, and in the South are facing a rollback of the rights and freedoms that called Medgar and Myrlie to activism in the 1950s and 60s,” said Dr. Marino Bruce, Chairman of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute. “Just like Medgar and Myrlie, the Institute will never stop fighting for what is right and just in this world. In 2023, 2024 and beyond we will be dedicated to lifting up voices who are often silenced, registering and encouraging people to vote, defending our rights and freedoms, and challenging governments at every level to care for all of us.”
The commemoration will include the More Than A Widow Brunch, Celebrating the Life of Myrlie Evers on June 8th, and conclude with the Voices of Courage and Justice Gala on Friday, June 9. Myrlie Evers will be honored with a lifetime achievement award celebrating her storied career, and other dignitaries will be bestowed with the inaugural MMEI Voices of Courage and Justice Award.
“My parents and many, many warriors of the movement dedicated their lives to advancing the cause of equal rights, and their wisdom, life journeys must be revered and shared so all generations can collectively move forward to the achievement of equality for all. we all have a responsibility to carry on the fight against injustice. Now more than ever, it is crucial to empower all generations with the tools and fortitude needed at this critical juncture in our life, not 60 years ago, now, to protect our freedoms in Mississippi, in the U.S. and across the globe. It is our hope that this week of commemoration will educate, empower and inspire every American to stand up, get involved and join together to create a better life for all,” added Reena Evers-Everette, Executive Director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute.
