Medgar & Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story that Awakened America

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and racism, including racist violence and the Jim Crow era.

James Meredith won in a circuit court in 1962 but still could not enroll at the University of Mississippi due to state opposition. Evers supported Meredith and his family during their legal battles. By this time, Evers was a primary target of the KKK.

A second decision by the Supreme Court ordered Meredith’s admission to the university. However, when he tried to attend, Meredith was met by an enraged white mob, galvanized by the segregationist governor to impede his enrollment. Meredith’s years as a student were difficult, as he was rejected by fellow students and needed daily security. Still, he became a cultural hero that symbolized hope for Black people. Evers admitted that the integration of “Ole Miss” was only the start, even as he and the community realized that changes would also “bring further death, destruction, and repercussion” (140).

Evers wished to add his children’s names to a petition for public school integration. Williams wanted to protect them but reluctantly agreed, understanding their role in the movement. While emphasizing that they were “inherently equal,” Evers explained the importance of integration to the children, as well as the history of Black people’s enslavement.