The latest marker to be installed on the Mississippi Freedom Trail was unveiled this week, commemorating Canton native and civil rights activist Annie Bell Robinson Devine.
Located in Devine’s hometown, the marker will be permanently displayed at the Madison County Courthouse. On Tuesday, officials from the Mississippi Humanities Council, Canton Tourism, City of Canton, and Visit Mississippi joined family members and friends of the late Devine to unveil the marker during a ceremony at the Canton High School Auditorium.
“We are proud to celebrate Mississippi’s significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, and with this newest Mississippi Freedom Trail marker, we commemorate the work of Annie Devine in her commitment to establishing equality for all,” Visit Mississippi director Rochelle Hicks said.
Devine, who passed away in 2000, was born in Mobile, Ala., but lived most of her adult life in Canton. She attended Tougaloo College in Jackson before working as an elementary school teacher and life insurance agent. A leader in Black enfranchisement, she was selected as a delegate representing the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party at the Democratic National Convention in 1964.
The new marker commemorates Devine’s commitment to voting rights work and equitable access to education and healthcare. It joins 40 other sites statewide that offer visitors the opportunity to learn more about the state’s role in the civil rights movement. The Mississippi Freedom Trail is part of the United States Civil Rights Trail.
