1970 – Charles Evers Becomes First Black Mayor in Mississippi Since Reconstruction

On May 13, 1970, Charles Evers was elected mayor of Fayette, Mississippi, becoming the first Black person to hold such office in the state since Reconstruction. The brother of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, Charles was a determined advocate for Black political power and economic advancement. His election shattered nearly a century of exclusion of African Americans from municipal leadership in Mississippi, a state long defined by its brutal resistance to Black civil rights. As mayor, Evers promoted racial integration, Black entrepreneurship, and educational equity. His victory symbolized a shift in Southern politics, made possible by the gains of the Civil Rights Movement and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Though his policies were often met with resistance, Evers remained a bold and uncompromising figure in the fight for racial justice and local control. His leadership marked a turning point in Mississippi’s long history of racial exclusion.