Natchez was a flashpoint of the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The Ku Klux Klan bombed churches, murdered NAACP leader Wharlest Jackson in 1967, and terrorized the Black community. Local activists including Charles Evers, Daisy Wade, and the Deacons for Defense organized boycotts and voter registration drives despite constant threat. This memorial honors the martyrs and activists of the Natchez civil rights struggle — a chapter of Mississippi history that is only now receiving the recognition it demands.
Quick facts
- ·Honors the martyrs and activists of the Natchez civil rights movement.
- ·NAACP leader Wharlest Jackson was murdered by the KKK in 1967 in Natchez.
- ·Charles Evers (brother of Medgar) organized boycotts and voter registration drives here.
- ·The Deacons for Defense provided armed protection for civil rights workers in Natchez.
- ·Natchez was one of the most dangerous cities in Mississippi for Black activists in the 1960s.
- ·Downtown location. Free and always accessible.
Memories
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.