In honor of late civil rights icon Medgar Evers’ birthday, admission to the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson will be free on Wednesday, July 2.
Sponsored by the Foundation for the Mid South, the no-charge day at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History will feature flash tours centered on Evers’ impact at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Evers, who was assassinated in 1963, would be turning 100.
“Thanks to the Foundation for the Mid South, visitors can explore the Two Mississippi Museums free of charge and discover the stories about the activism of civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers, who fought to dismantle segregation and improve the lives of Black Mississippians,” Two Mississippi Museums director Michael Morris said.
A native of Decatur, Evers served in World War II and was a student-athlete at Alcorn A&M College. After his attempt to enroll in law school at the University of Mississippi was stifled due to racial discrimination in 1954, Evers began working with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to help organize boycotts and recruit local chapters in the community.
His leadership skills and expertise eventually led to Evers being named the first field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi. He advocated for nonviolent direct action and was behind voter drives and protests aimed at desegregating public parks, schools, and beaches. Evers also investigated incidents of racial violence and injustice by interviewing eyewitnesses, gathering evidence, and briefing members of the press.
Despite threats, Evers continued his activism and helped link Mississippi’s civil rights struggle to the national movement. On June 12, 1963, at the age of 37, he was assassinated outside his Jackson home by white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith.
The legacy of Evers has continued to live on through exhibitions and events at the Two Mississippi Museums. Numerous institutions and places still bear his name, as well, including Medgar Evers College in New York and Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. In 2013, a 13-foot-tall bronze statue of Evers was installed at his alma mater now called Alcorn State.
“At the Foundation for the Mid South, we believe equity begins with access to history, to truth, and to the tools that shape our future,” said Greg Johnson, president and CEO of the nonprofit aimed at increasing social and economic opportunity in the region. “As we honor the legacy of Medgar Evers, we’re proud to support this free admission day at the Two Mississippi Museums, creating greater access to the stories that continue to educate and inspire.
“This is more than just a day at the museum. It’s a chance for individuals and families to reflect, learn, and engage with the transformative journey toward justice that Evers championed. His unwavering activism reminds us of the power each of us holds to effect change in our communities.”
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History opened in 2017 in celebration of the state’s bicentennial and is administered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum explores the period from 1945 to 1976 – including Evers’ role – when the state was considered ground zero for the national civil rights movement. The history side of the museums explores the entire sweep of Mississippi’s history from its earliest inhabitants to present day.
