medgar and myrlie

joy ann reid

Medgar and Myrlie Evers were trailblazing civil rights activists whose courage and commitment helped shape the modern fight for racial justice in America. Medgar Evers, as the NAACP’s first field secretary in Mississippi, challenged segregation and voter suppression in the Jim Crow South until his assassination in 1963. His wife, Myrlie Evers-Williams, carried forward his legacy, becoming a respected leader in her own right and later serving as Chair of the NAACP, ensuring their shared vision for equality endured.

Joy-Ann Reid is a prominent journalist, political analyst, and host of The ReidOut on MSNBC, known for her incisive commentary on race, politics, and social justice. Through her work, Reid bridges the historical struggles of civil rights pioneers like the Everses with the ongoing fight for equity in modern America, offering both historical insight and forward-looking critique.

Together, these figures represent a continuum of Black leadership—past and present—united by a shared dedication to justice, truth, and the power of speaking out against injustice.