Cohen Introduces Bipartisan Resolution Honoring 50th Anniversary of James Meredith’s March Against Fear
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) today introduced a bipartisan resolution with Congressman Trent Kelly (R-MS), Congressman Bennie Thompson (R-MS) and Congressman Gregg Harper (R-MS) honoring the 50th anniversary of James Meredith’s March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi to encourage African Americans to register to vote.
“James Meredith’s March Against Fear was a significant part of Memphis and civil rights history,” said Congressman Cohen. “Just after leaving Memphis to begin his courageous voting rights march from Memphis to Jackson, Meredith was ambushed and shot in North Mississippi. Subsequently, civil rights leaders quickly met at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Memphis to plan a resumption of the march. They were aided by the church’s brilliant leader, Reverend James M. Lawson. They were also aided by the Memphis chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. and civil rights leaders Maxine and Vasco Smith, Jesse Turner, Russell Sugarmon, and A.W. Willis, among others. The next day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Floyd McKissick, and Stokely Carmichael resumed the Meredith March Against Fear. By the time marchers reached Jackson, 4,000 African Americans in Mississippi had registered to vote.”
A similar resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) recently passed the Senate.