2003

Jam-packed Huff Auditorium h Newton County welcomed the Evers fam– ily back to Decatur for a commemoration service to honor one of their native sons, the late Medgar Evers. without racism. We certainly know that because we live it. But it is far from what it was 40 years ago. As Charles and Medgar said, once the evils of segregation are removed, Mississippi will be the best place in the nation to live. Medgar believed that and he gave his life for it."

A jam-packed Huff Auditorium served as the scene for last Tuesday's eveJ1t. Speaker after speaker extolled lhe virtues of Evers' life. Evers' widow, Myrlie Evers Williams, thanked the crowd for their attendance. She also thanked the committee that planned the event, the Newton County board of supervisors and aldermen from Hickory, Newton, Union and Decatur for resolutions honoring Evers' contributions for civil rights. "This has been a most remarkable evening/' Williams said. "The town of Decatur, Mississippi, the county of Newton and the state of Mississippi has sent a mes– sage to the international world today, tonight and time yet to come. This is a new Mississippi. "It is not one without faults. His not one

Tuesday night's program was to com– memorate Evers on the 40th anniversary of his assassination. He was killed by a sniper's bullet in 1963 by Byron De La Beckwith, who has since gone to prison and died. Williams said her earliest memory of Medgar was when the two were students at Alcorn A&M college, now Alcorn State University. She said that Medgar told her just two weeks after they met that she was· going to be his wife and have their children. "But you didn't tell me you loved me," said Williams. "He said 'When I do love you I'll let you know it'," she said to rousing laughter. · Williams touted Evers as her "Teacher,

APPEARED IN:

CARTHAGINIAN ------- NESHOBADEMOCRAT _____ NEWTON RECORD ______ MERIDIAN STAR ------– CLARION-LEDGER------

LAKE MESSENGER-------– SCOTT COUNTY TIMES----- - – UNION APPEAL ------- - - WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL ____ SPIRIT OF MORTON-------- IMPACT ______ _ _____