Civil Rights Era Murders Marked with Historical Marker in Neshoba County

Forty five years after three civil rights workers were murdered on a dark Mississippi highway in Neshoba County, a historical marker has been erected in their honor. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports.

About 3 dozen people gathered near Philadelphia for the unveiling of a marker honoring James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. , The city's first black mayor, James Young says their murder started a revolution of change in the segregated south.

“I’m a byproduct of that which is about equality and justice for everybody. And sometimes there’s lives have to be given for the sake of the betterment of mankind. And in this state that’s what their lives represented.

The dedication represents the ongoing efforts of the Philadelphia Coalition, a multiracial group of local citizens that formed around a call for justice for the murders. At Tuesday's ceremony, Rita Schwerner Bender, widow of Michael Scwewner says the struggle has not ended.

“The lack of educational opportunity is still appalling. The people of this state who struggled so hard for the vote really understood that if they could get the vote they might be able to get a seat at the table, to make the decisions that have to be made.”

Jewel McDonald a native of Philadelphia says the marker is long overdue.

“We have a lot of people come through here all year long wanting to know where it is. Now there’s a sign to indicate where they were killed. It took 45 years to get it but it’s here.”

Organizers hope the marker representing the 3 civil rights workers will be the first of many markers highlighting the civil rights struggle in Mississippi. For MPB News, I’m Lawayne Childrey.