Mississippi: A Place Apart

During the era of Jim Crow segregation, Mississippi represented the extremes of the South.

The March Backward

When the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed racial segregation in 1954, a few white moderates in Mississippi called for gradual acceptance of the ruling. They quickly turned radical, or silent.

The Citizens' Council

Mississippi whites organized a broad network of citizens groups to enforce racial segregation. Their goal was to maintain white supremacy.

The Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission

The Sovereignty Commission was both a propaganda machine and a spy agency. It kept extensive files on anyone suspected of civil rights involvement.

The Riot at Ole' Miss

A race riot at The University of Mississippi led to a reign of terror against black citizens. It also caused some influential whites to rethink "massive resistance" to integration.

Defiance and Compliance

The mid-1960s in Mississippi were filled with racial violence and turmoil. But slowly the wall of segregation would crack.

You can download the radio program or read the transcript.

Seeking Justice in Civil Rights-Era Cold Cases

Links and Resources

Credits

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