February 24, 2025

Tiffany Lyons and Valerie Guevara at The Medgar Evers National Monument

“We recently visited Jackson, Mississippi as part of our ongoing work with the National Park Service and had the profound opportunity to visit the Medgar Evers National Monument, the home where Medgar Evers lived with his family and where he was tragically assassinated in 1963.

Medgar Wiley Evers was the first National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) field secretary in Mississippi and devoted his life working to end racial violence and improve the quality of life for black Mississippians.  

We were deeply moved to be accompanied on our visit by Mr. Evers’ daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, Executive Director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute (MMEI). "MMEI believes all Americans benefit when intergenerational connections are strengthened, new generations of socially and politically active leaders are empowered, individuals are provided with quality education and communities work together to benefit our nation.” – Reena Evers-Everette

In these uncertain times, protecting spaces like this—spaces of memory, of truth, of resilience—feels more critical than ever. The weight of history is palpable here. Medgar Evers' legacy and the ongoing pursuit of justice and human rights remain a powerful call to action.”