The Autobiography of Medgar Evers: A Hero's Life and Legacy Revealed Through His Writings, Letters, and Speeches

On the evening of June 12, 1963Ñthe day President John F. Kennedy gave his most impassioned speech about the need for interracial tolerance ÑMedgar Evers, the NAACPÕs first field secretary in Mississippi, was shot and killed by an assassinÕs bullet in his driveway. The still-smoking gunÑbearing the fingerprints of Byron De La Beckwith, a staunch white supremacistÑwas recovered moments later in some nearby bushes. Still, Beckwith remained free for over thirty years, until EversÕs widow finally forced the Mississippi courts to bring him to justice.The Autobiography of Medgar Evers tells the full story of one the greatest leaders of the civil rights movement, bringing his achievement to life for a new generation. Although EversÕs memory has remained a force in the civil rights movement, the legal battles surrounding his death have too often overshadowed the example and inspiration of his life.Myrlie Evers-Williams and Manning Marable have assembled the previously untouched cache of MedgarÕs personal documents, writings, and speeches. These remarkable pieces range from MedgarÕs monthly reports to the NAACP to his correspondence with luminaries of the time such as Robert Carter, General Counsel for the NAACP in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. Most important of all are the recollections of Myrlie Evers, combined with letters from her personal collection. These documents and memories form the backbone of The Autobiography of Medgar EversÑ a cohesive narrative detailing the rise and tragic death of a civil rights hero.