MS SR59

Commends the life and memory of James Charles Evers, who passed away on July 22, 2020, at age 97, as the first Black-elected mayor of a Mississippi city, entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and politician.

Recognizes Evers' role as Field Secretary of the NAACP following his brother Medgar Evers' assassination in 1963, and his election as Mayor of Fayette in 1969, serving multiple terms until 1989.

Honors Evers' civil rights activism including organizing boycotts, protests, and voter registration campaigns throughout Mississippi, as well as his runs for Governor in 1971 and U.S. Senate in 1978.

Notes Evers' contributions to blues music and broadcasting, including hosting shows on WHOC Radio and serving as manager of WMPR 90.1 FM in Jackson, and co-sponsoring the annual Medgar Evers Homecoming concerts beginning in 1973.

Extends the Mississippi Senate's sympathy to Evers' surviving family, including 10 children, 24 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren.