Medgar Evers Biography

Medgar Evers was an African-American civil rights activist from Mississippi, who worked tirelessly against racism throughout his life. He spent his childhood and most of his later life in Mississippi, a state where racism was rampant. He had to go to a far-off school that specifically admitted African-Americans and was subjected to racial taunts by the other white children. Even after serving in the army during World War II, Evers did not get the fair treatment he longed for. His leadership qualities came to the fore in college, where he was ‘junior class president’. Having already experienced first-hand the brutal repercussions faced by African-Americans in Mississippi, like lynching, Evers grabbed the chance to fight against it by joining the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL). He became actively involved with organizing protests and demonstrations against racism. He was denied admission by the University of Mississippi on racial grounds became the subject of a well-publicized campaign to end segregation at the University. Because of his relentless crusade against racism, he made many enemies with the violent and powerful white-supremacists. Just as his endeavours were appearing to bear fruits with President Kennedy’s landmark civil rights address, his life was tragically cut short. Till today, Evers is cherished as one of the foremost champions of the ‘Civil War Movement’.