Origins & Early Life

Medgar Wiley Evers (; July 2, 1925 – June 12, 1963) was an American civil rights activist who was the NAACP's first field secretary in Mississippi. A United States Army veteran who served in World War II, he was engaged in efforts to overturn racial segregation at the University of Mississippi, end the segregation of public facilities, and expand opportunities for African Americans, including the enforcement of voting rights, prior to his assassination. After college, Evers became active in the civil rights movement in the 1950s. Following the 1954 ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Board of Education that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, he challenged the segregation of the state-supported public University of Mississippi. Evers applied to law school there, as the state had no public law school for African Americans. He also worked for voting rights, economic opportunity, access to public facilities, and other changes in the segregated society. In 1963, Evers was awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal. On June 12, 1963, Evers was murdered at his home in Jackson, Mississippi, now the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, by Byron De La Beckwith...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Bandura — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
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• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Abd el-Krim — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): Moroccan revolutionary leader who spearheaded the revolt against French and Spanish Protectorates.
• Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): British Field Marshal and Chief of the Imperial General Staff during WWII.
• Aldous Huxley — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): English writer and philosopher known for social satire and mystical explorations.
• Alex Morgan — Shared historical date (07-02 · Born) (1989): Pioneering American soccer star, celebrated for Olympic and World Cup victories.
• Bill Mitchell (automobile designer) — Shared historical date (07-02 · Born) (1912): Pioneering American automobile designer whose work defined decades of General Motors styling.
• Al-Zamakhshari — Shared historical date (06-12 · Died) (1144): Pioneering scholar of Quranic exegesis, linguistics, and theology.
• Anne Frank — Shared historical date (06-12 · Born) (1929): German-born diarist whose secret writings documented life in hiding during the Holocaust.
• 1925 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1925
• July 2 (07-02) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 2
• 1963 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1963
• June 12 (06-12) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 12