Medgar Evers accomplished a great deal as a civil rights leader before his untimely death in 1963 outside his home in Jackson, Miss., but many remember him primarily as a victim of assassination. His widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, and daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, want to change that, the Associated Press reports.
As the 50th anniversary of his death approaches in June, a series of events are being planned to highlight and pay tribute to Evers' work for racial equality.
"I see this as a celebration — one where we celebrate the man, what he did, and what his actions are still giving to us today, and to the future," Evers' widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams said Thursday.
Evers was the first field secretary in Mississippi for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He led marches, investigated racial violence, and organized voter registration drives. Through it all, he promoted a message of peace and unity.
During a news conference at a Jackson library named for Evers, Evers-Williams and daughter Reena Evers-Everette announced the details of the weeklong celebration. The first event, a memorial service, will be held June 5 at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, D.C.
Read more at the Associated Press.