Foundation for the Mid South Sponsors Free Admission Day at Two Mississippi Museums in Honor of Medgar Evers’ Birthday
The Foundation for the Mid South will sponsor a free admission day at the Two Mississippi Museums on July 2 in honor of the birthday of civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers. Education staff from the Two Mississippi Museums—the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum—will host flash tours at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day.
“Thanks to the Foundation for the Mid South, visitors can explore the Two Mississippi Museums free of charge and discover the stories about the activism of civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers, who fought to dismantle segregation and improve the lives of Black Mississippians,” said Michael Morris, director of the Two Mississippi Museums.
Medgar Evers became the first field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi. He advocated for nonviolent but direct action, helping to establish new local chapters and leading initiatives such as boycotts, voter registration drives, and protests aimed at desegregating public parks, schools, and beaches. Evers also investigated incidents of racial violence and injustice by interviewing eyewitnesses, gathering evidence, and briefing members of the press.
Despite threats, he continued his activism, linking Mississippi's civil rights struggle to the national movement. On June 12, 1963, he was assassinated by White supremacist Byron De La Beckwith. His legacy endures through numerous honors and institutions bearing his name.
“At the Foundation for the Mid South, we believe equity begins with access—to history, to truth, and to the tools that shape our future,” said Greg Johnson, president and CEO of the Foundation for the Mid South. “As we honor the legacy of Medgar Evers, we’re proud to support this free admission day at the Two Mississippi Museums, creating greater access to the stories that continue to educate and inspire.
“This is more than just a day at the museum. It’s a chance for individuals and families to reflect, learn, and engage with the transformative journey toward justice that Evers championed. His unwavering commitment to activism reminds us of the power each of us holds to effect change in our communities.”
The Foundation for the Mid South works in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, bringing together public and private sectors to focus resources on increasing social and economic opportunity in the region.
The Museum of Mississippi History opened in tandem with the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Dec. 9, 2017, in celebration of the state's bicentennial and is administered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum explores the period from 1945 to 1976 when Mississippi was ground zero for the national Civil Rights Movement. The Museum of Mississippi History explores the entire sweep of Mississippi’s history from its earliest inhabitants to the present day.