Mississippi’s newest Freedom Trail Marker honoring the late James “Charles” Evers was unveiled Friday at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fayette.
Evers, the elder brother of Civil Rights martyr Medgar Evers, was installed as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) State Voter Registration chairman in 1954. After Medgar Evers’ assassination in Jackson in 1963, Charles Evers would take over as the NAACP field director in Mississippi.
In those roles and many others that served the Civil Rights Movement cause, Evers organized and championed equality in his home state. His leadership also led him to a multi-term stint as the mayor of Fayette that began in 1969, along with runs as a gubernatorial and congressional candidate.
“We are honored to celebrate the legacy of Charles Evers by adding a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker to commemorate his life’s work,” Visit Mississippi Director Rochelle Hicks said. “We encourage Mississippians and visitors to explore the many freedom trail sties and learn about Mississippi’s leading role in the Civil Rights Movement in America.”
The Mississippi Freedom Trail, established in 2011, now includes more than 40 markers that commemorate the people, locations, and events that were pivotal in the struggle for civil rights among all Americans.
For more information or to plan a trip to see the trail yourself, click here.
