an invitation from Charlie Leck
This summer, I’m taking my wife and one of my daughters with me on my return to Mississippi. It’s to attend a memorial service for the three guys who have become known as the Civil Rights Martyrs. The three of them are constantly on my mind. They disappeared and were murdered on the day my train arrived in Mississippi to work on the voter registration drive (June 21, 1964).
Folks down there have asked me to extend an invitation to Minnesotans and other folks I know around the country to come on down to Mississippi for this extraordinary day of remembrance.
If you are a veteran of the Mississippi Civil Rights effort, give some thought to coming on down. Of course, you’re invited even if you didn’t work in Mississippi during the 60s. If anyone is thinking about going, I can provide specific directions out to the Memorial Service. Just leave a comment on my blog or send me an email at chasleck@gmail.com
The 44th Annual Mississippi Civil Right Martyrs Memorial Service,
Conference and Caravan for Justice
Longdale Community Center site on County Road 632
Neshoba County, Mississippi
June 21-22, 2008
We will remember and honor slain civil rights workers, Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner – and all the other Mississippi civil rights martyrs.
The weekend’s events begin with a Caravan for Justice,
assembling at the First Union Missionary Baptist Church
610 38th Avenue, in Meridian,
at 9:00 a.m., and departing at 9:30 on Saturday, June 21, 2008.
The caravan will visit the James Chaney grave site, the three martyrs murder site on Rock Cut Road, and Mount Nebo Church, before going on to the old Longdale Community Center at 2:30 p.m.. Along the way, justice rallies will be held at the Lauderdale County Courthouse in Meridian at 9:45 a.m. and the Neshoba County Courthouse in Philadelphia at 1:30 p.m.
The Memorial Service and Conference will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the old Longdale Community Center site on County Road 632 in Neshoba County.
It will be conducted outdoors on the Steele family’s land with ample shade and parking. Another indoor site has been arranged in case it rains.
The local community around the site is friendly to our cause. There will be much and varied food, from barbeque to healthy salads.
This event will be remembering, exchanging thoughts and ideas, strategizing, and will call on officials to prosecute all known perpetrators who murdered civil rights workers. We will also develop plans to continue the struggle against racial oppression in Mississippi. The service is open to all people of good will who share our values and concerns. Please join us!
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me: Charlie Leck chasleck@gmail.com
Justice for Civil Right Martyrs!
Compared to the number of Mississippi murders committed and the number of murderers involved, investigations and prosecutions have been a token few.
No comments:
Post a Comment