1963 – Medgar Evers Is Buried with Military Honors

Civil rights leader Medgar Evers was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on June 16, 1963, just days after he was assassinated outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi. A World War II veteran, Evers returned home to fight for Black voting rights and equal access to education and public accommodations. As the NAACP’s Mississippi field secretary, he led protests, investigated racial murders, and was frequently threatened by white supremacists. His murder at the hands of a Klansman shocked the nation and catalyzed momentum for the Civil Rights Act. Over 3,000 mourners attended his funeral, and his burial at Arlington emphasized the contradiction between his service abroad and the injustice he faced at home. June 16 thus stands as a solemn day of remembrance and recognition of the cost of fighting for freedom in America.