July 15th 2024.
The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the iconic Lorraine Motel in Memphis, is excited to announce an upcoming event that will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the historic Freedom Summer. On July 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the museum will host a symposium that will bring together some of the most influential activists of the time.
Among the distinguished guests will be Judy Richardson, Charlie Cobb Jr, Courtland Cox, Dorothy Zellner, and Jerry Mitchell, all of whom were part of the renowned Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The symposium will be moderated by Dr. Robert Luckett, director of the Margaret Walker Center and COFO Center at Jackson State University, with co-moderation by Dory Lerner, the National Civil Rights Museum's education manager.
Richardson, who is also an accomplished author and filmmaker, served as a staff member for SNCC from 1963 to 1966 and played a vital role in the organization's Freedom Summer initiative in Mississippi. Cobb, a renowned journalist and author, was a member of SNCC from 1962 to 1967 and is credited with proposing the Freedom School project and organizing voting rights efforts in Mississippi. Cox, who served on SNCC's executive committee, was an organizer for Freedom Summer and also participated in the famous Sterling Committee for the 1963 March on Washington.
Zellner, who is both an author and editor, worked for SNCC in various locations, including Atlanta, Danville, Virginia, and Greenwood, Mississippi, from 1962 to 1967. She also ran the Northeast office of SNCC in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mitchell, a well-respected investigative reporter and author, played a crucial role in bringing justice to civil rights cases by uncovering evidence that helped convict four members of the Ku Klux Klan.
In 2022, author Davis W. Houck released a book titled "Black Bodies in the River: Searching for Freedom Summer," which revealed shocking information about the search for the bodies of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. The investigation also led to the discovery of numerous other bodies in the rivers of Neshoba County, Mississippi.
In addition to honoring the memories of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner, the symposium will also feature a panel discussion on the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission. This group, described by the Mississippi Free Press as a "state-funded spy agency charged with resisting integration and civil-rights activity," played a significant role in opposing the civil rights movement.
The panelists for this discussion will include Houck, Mitchell, and Luckett, and will be moderated by Ryan Jones, the museum's associate curator. General admission tickets for the event will cost $15 and will include lunch for registered attendees. However, the event will be free of charge for all educators.
The National Civil Rights Museum is committed to preserving the history of the civil rights movement and educating the public about its importance. Through events like this symposium, the museum continues to honor the bravery and sacrifices of those who fought for justice and equality. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the firsthand accounts of these remarkable activists and be a part of this important conversation.
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