1964 – NAACP’s Medgar Evers Honored Posthumously

May 31, 1964, marked the posthumous honoring of Medgar Evers by the NAACP for his courageous civil rights work in Mississippi. A World War II veteran and field secretary for the NAACP, Evers had been assassinated the previous year in Jackson, Mississippi, by a white supremacist. His death shocked the nation and galvanized the civil rights movement. The NAACP’s tribute recognized not only his sacrifice but also the critical role local organizers played in advancing Black freedom. Evers had worked tirelessly to end segregation at the University of Mississippi and to investigate racial murders. His death became a rallying cry for justice, inspiring legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Honoring him on May 31 helped keep the pressure on white political leaders to confront Jim Crow laws. Medgar Evers’ legacy lives on as a symbol of commitment, courage, and the cost of fighting for civil rights in America.