Saturday, November 12, 2022

Three Civil Rights Workers

 Three Civil Rights Workers


On June 21, 1964, 3 civil rights workers were murdered and tortured by the KKK in Mississippi. These three men were named Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman. Schwerner, Chaney, and Goodman wanted everyone to have freedom, be treated equally, and have learning rights. They fought for this and defended all of these causes and human democratic rights, but this ended up getting them killed. 


They traveled to Neshoba County so they could investigate Mt. Zion Methodist Church burning. The church was torched by the KKK. This happened 20 years after the church became a national symbol. The was also a black community church. This church had a core freedom school. Freedom schools created a path and started a journey for many young black Mississippi citizens. The case was concluded and dismissed that this fire was intentional, but there was no longer any search or investigation to happen. That possessed Schwerner, Chaney, and Goodman to take it into their own hands. 

Fire brings up old memories as investigators continue work at Mt. Zion AME  | WCIV


There were many other people who got murdered for fighting for the same justices these three men fought for. During this time, they discovered 8 other bodies of African Americans that have been found. They found the body of Herbert Oarsby, who was a 14 year-old boy. He was wearing a Congress of Racial Equality t-shirt. They also found the bodies of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Eddie Moore who were both 19 years old. Lastly, they found another five men they were not able to identify. 


The authorities, such as President Lyndon Johnson, thought the disappearance of these men was a Civil Rights Movement publicity stunt so they could get their work recognized by the world. Their bodies were found on August 4, 1964 buried at a dam site in Neshoba county where they traveled to investigate. In 1980, Ronald Reagan decided to launch his general campaign right in outside of where the bodies were the three civil rights workers men's bodies had been found. 

Today in photo history - 1964: Bodies of three civil rights workers found  in Mississippi



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