Medgar Evers fearlessly championed his beliefs, envisioning a future where racial harmony prevailed between blacks and whites. Tragically, he sacrificed his life for his convictions, ultimately becoming a symbolic figure for his followers. The individual suspected of murdering him underwent three trials before finally being found guilty, nearly three decades after the tragic incident. Evers is deeply honored as a martyr and serves as an inspiration to the entire black community.
During the civil rights movement in the United States, African Americans recognized the need for a change in their strategy. Instead of relying only on court cases, they sought a nonviolent approach. On August 28, 1963, a significant moment occurred with a march in Washington D.C., aimed at achieving federal civil rights legislation for equal rights. This event is also remembered for Martin Luther King’s famous speech titled “I Have A Dream.” King believed that most white individuals were fundamentally good and that through love, they could be compelled to address injustice and brutality. This nonviolent approach would ultimately prove more effective for the movement in the future.
When African Americans started adopting sit-ins as their method of protest, it all began at a public lunch counter at F. W. Woolsworths in Greensboro, North Carolina. This form of protest then spread to all public spaces in counties throughout the southern United States. As the popularity of sit-ins grew, African Americans started conducting them in other venues such as parks, movie theaters, swimming pools, libraries, lobbies, and various other segregated facilities. Gradually, after several months of sit-ins, segregation began to be dismantled. African Americans also made significant efforts to desegregate public schools, which eventually succeeded with the admittance of James Meredith to Ole Miss. President Kennedy also aimed to help African Americans by approaching the issue cautiously. He did so by encouraging companies with government contracts to hire African American individuals.
Medgar Wiley Evers was born on July 2, 1925 in Decatur, Mississippi. He attended school there until he joined the Army in 1943. After serving in Normandy, he enrolled at Alcorn to study business administration. At college, he actively participated in various school functions and met his future wife Myrtle Beasley. They got married on December 24, 1951. Evers completed his BA and moved to Mound Bayou, where he founded the local chapter of the NAACP. While working as an insurance salesman, he witnessed a significant development when the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. the Board of Education ruled against school segregation.
Despite the danger of being the leader of the NAACP, Evers actively pursued the civil rights movement. In 1962, they helped James Meredith get enrolled at the school after a decision did not stop him from trying to integrate it. In 1954, Evers was appointed as an NAACP field secretary and moved to Jackson. Evers declared, “If I die, it will be in a good cause. I’ve been fighting for America just as much as soldiers in Vietnam. I’m determined that we will be accepted as human beings with dignity.”
Leading the NAACP, his actions sparked dissatisfaction among white Americans, particularly through his support in aiding James Meredith’s enrollment at Ole Miss. This event fueled a lasting controversy that tragically concluded on June 12, 1963 when he was assassinated in front of his residence. It took over thirty years for his assailant to face repercussions, finally occurring in 1994.
Beckwith was born on November 9, 1920, in Sacramento, California. His mother suffered from mental problems and his father had an alcohol addiction, resulting in him becoming orphaned and raised by a cousin in Greenwood.
Despite not excelling academically, Beckwith had a strong passion for firearms. He eventually graduated from Columbia Military Academy in Mississippi.
Prior to the start of World War II, Beckwith worked at a laundry mat before promptly enlisting in the marines. He was deployed to Tarawa where he sustained a gunshot wound and fell into the water.
After returning to Greenwood, he struggled with passing the qualifying exam for officers training school in 1965. Before leaving the military, Beckwith married Mary Louise Williams (also known as Willie) and they later welcomed their son Bryant (Pitock).
Byron’s troubled past shaped his journey of finding his place in the world.
Byron, a troubled man returning from WWII, struggled to reintegrate into society. According to his nephew Reed Massengill, coming back to impoverished Mississippi after WW II left him with few things to feel superior about. He found solace in looking down on Blacks, as they were the only people he felt superior to. Beckwith was regarded as an extremist even in the racist society. The racial issue with Beckwith became personal when Medgar Evers aided in James Meredith’s admission to Ole Miss. Beckwith’s extreme views caused him to take things too far.
The kids of Myrlic Evers, wife of Medgar Evers, were allowed to stay up and wait for their father after school was out. When Evers arrived home, he brought with him a stack of Jim Crow Must Go t-shirts, much to the excitement of his children. However, as Evers stepped out of his car, a man named Beckwith targeted him while hiding in a dense honey suckle bush. The gunshot caused Evers to fall face first onto the concrete, with his wife and kids witnessing the tragic scene. According to a columnist for the Clarion Ledger, there were speculations of a paid assassin being responsible for Evers’ murder, aiming to maintain fear and turmoil in the south. Ultimately, Medgar Evers was senselessly killed while fighting for justice.
The initial and subsequent trials displayed numerous similarities and differences. The juries for both trials consisted solely of white males, with women being ineligible for jury service at the time. While the first trial initially conducted a fair jury selection process, both attorneys eventually exercised their preferences. As for the second trial, the process of selecting jurors commenced alongside the Sovereignty Commission’s initiation of background checks on all twelve jurors.
Despite the usual expense, Beckwith was lucky enough to receive the service without charge. He underwent twelve assessments with the goal of determining his stance on segregation. Once this news caught the public’s attention, the sovereignty commission defended their actions as unethical yet not against the law. Additionally, some witnesses modified their testimonies due to intimidation or physical harm. Despite these different factors in the trials, the jurors ultimately reached a unanimous verdict.
The third trial had several differences from the other twelve trials. Notably, the jury was primarily composed of black individuals. Additionally, all twelve witnesses from the previous trials were instructed to fully remember and recount the events they had witnessed. Bobby DeLaughter, who served as the prosecutor for the Medgar Evers case, introduced new evidence to the court. DeLaughter successfully obtained the murder weapon, which had been in possession of his father-in-law, Judge Russell Moore, during two of the previous trials. DeLaughter retrieved the rifle from Judge Moore and it played a significant role in the third trial. The fingerprints discovered on the Enfield 10-06 rifle’s scope were later confirmed to belong to Beckwith, directly connecting him to the murder weapon (DeLaughter).
When each body was exhumed, it was found to be in perfect condition if it had been recently embalmed. This allowed forensic examiners to conduct another autopsy, which revealed that Evers had been shot by a 30-06 bullet. This determination was made based on the star burst pattern observed in the bone, which is a characteristic pattern of this type of bullet (Vollers). Additional witnesses were discovered by DeLaughter during the investigation. One of these witnesses was Mary Ann Adams, a forty-seven year old IRS employee. Adams had encountered Beckwith at a restaurant where she was dining with a coworker who knew two individuals sitting with Beckwith. After being introduced to Evers, Beckwith shook his head and smiled, affirming the information shared (DeLaughter).
Delmar Dennis, an FBI agent, worked undercover in the KKK in Mississippi to investigate the murder of the rights workers in Noshoba County. During his investigation, Dennis witnessed Beckwith openly discussing the killing of Evers. However, he was unable to reveal this evidence without jeopardizing his cover in another investigation.
One person who recognized Beckwith’s face on T.V. and called in was Mark Reiley, a thirty-six year old air traffic controller in Chicago who also worked as a guard at Arcola State Penitentiary. During their time together at the penitentiary, Reiley and Beckwith developed a close relationship. It was during this time that Beckwith began boasting about killing Evers and attempting to influence the young guard, DeLaughter. Thankfully, with all the supporting evidence in DeLaughter’s favor, justice would ultimately prevail for Evers.
During this time, Mississippi was characterized by a rise in violent acts driven by white supremacy. The revival of the KKK aimed to impede the progress of civil rights for black individuals. They employed a tactic of stationing themselves outside voting stations to prevent blacks from exercising their right to vote. Their attire consisted of white robes, reminiscent of deceased Confederate soldiers who fought for the South during the Civil War. The KKK harbored strong prejudice against non-white Christians. (Vollers) Consequently, Mississippi became a somber and hateful environment.
Evers’ impact on society remains evident today. Despite his dedication to nonviolence, he sacrificed his life for his beliefs and became a prominent civil rights advocate in Mississippi. Even after his death, many, including his wife, continue to honor and remember him. His wife authored “For Us, The Living,” although “Mississippi, Black History Makers” is considered the superior publication. Ten years following Evers’ tragic assassination, documentation revealed that Mississippi had elected 145 black officials into office and permitted black students to enroll in private schools.
In 1970, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare reported that 26% of black individuals in Mississippi public schools had at least 50% white enrollment. In 1913, there were merely 28,000 registered black voters, a number that increased to 250,000 by 1971 and further to 500,000 in 1982 (JDP). Despite one man’s efforts ending with his death, the positive changes he instigated are still apparent today. Mississippi has become a more harmonious and improved place of residence for individuals of all races.
