Medgar Evers Biography

Medgar Evers, Activist
Born asMedgar Wiley Evers
Occup.Activist
FromUSA
SpouseMyrlie Evers
BornJuly 2, 1925
Decatur, Mississippi, USA
DiedJune 12, 1963
Jackson, Mississippi, USA
CauseAssassination
Aged37 years
Early Life as well as Education
Medgar Wiley Evers was born on July 2, 1925, in Decatur, Mississippi, USA, to Jesse as well as James Evers. He was born into a household of small farmers, and also as a young child, he experienced the rough fact of bigotry and partition in America. This very early direct exposure to inequality and injustice sparked his lifelong dedication to fighting for civil liberties as well as social justice.

Evers was a smart and also disciplined pupil, completing his primary and secondary education in the set apart public college system in Mississippi. He finished with honors from Alcorn Agricultural and also Mechanical College (currently Alcorn State University) in 1952, making a Bachelor of Arts level in Business Administration.

The Second World War and also Military Service
Prior to attending college, Evers was composed into the United States Army throughout World War II. He offered in the European Theater from 1943 to 1945, dealing with in the Battle of Normandy and also eventually attaining the ranking of sergeant. His experiences with racial partition within the army further fueled his commitment to combating for equal rights and also civil liberties for African Americans.

Civil Rights Activism
Upon going back to Mississippi after the battle, Evers began his profession as a civil rights activist. In 1954, he signed up with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was quickly selected as the very first area assistant in Mississippi. His duties required hiring brand-new members, arranging neighborhood NAACP chapters, and leading grassroots efforts to resolve racial injustice, partition, and also voter reductions.

Evers played a significant role in numerous high-profile civil rights situations in Mississippi, consisting of the examination of the brutal murder of 14-year-old African-American Emmett Till in 1955. He also supported the assimilation of the University of Mississippi in 1962, as he helped James Meredith, the first African-American pupil, in signing up at the institution. Throughout his activism, Evers encountered countless dangers and acts of physical violence versus himself and also his family members.

Murder and Legacy
On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers was shot as well as killed in the driveway of his residence in Jackson, Mississippi. His fatality was a destructive blow to the civil liberties motion, yet it additionally galvanized activists to continue his fight for equality. Evers' murder renewed a nationwide call for racial justice and assisted stimulate the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and also the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The man responsible for his assassination, Byron De La Beckwith, a member of the White Citizens' Council, was detained but avoided conviction until 1994, when he was finally found guilty as well as sentenced to life behind bars.

Medgar Evers' leadership as well as advocacy in the fight for racial equality and social justice left an indelible impression on the civil rights activity and the United States overall. Evers left a profound legacy that remains to motivate future generations of activists and leaders in the continuous battle against racial discrimination as well as inequality.

Family Members as well as Personal Life
Medgar Evers was married to Myrlie Beasley in 1951, as well as with each other they had 3 youngsters: Darrell, Reena, and also James. Myrlie Evers-Williams proceeded her partner's legacy after his death, becoming a noticeable civil rights activist, functioning as the chairperson of the NAACP, and authoring numerous books on the civil liberties movement and her late spouse's life.

Our collection contains 4 quotes who is written / told by Medgar.

Related authors: Betty Shabazz (Activist), Charles Evers (Activist), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete), James A. Baldwin (Author)

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4 Famous quotes by Medgar Evers

Small: You can kill a man but you cant kill an idea
"You can kill a man but you can't kill an idea"
Small: Our only hope is to control the vote
"Our only hope is to control the vote"
Small: If we dont like what the Republicans do, we need to get in there and change it
"If we don't like what the Republicans do, we need to get in there and change it"
Small: The gifts of God should be enjoyed by all citizens in Mississippi
"The gifts of God should be enjoyed by all citizens in Mississippi"