Charles Evers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Evers
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| Mayor of Fayette, Mississippi | |
| In office 1985–1989 |
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| Preceded by | Kennie Middleton |
| Succeeded by | Kennie Middleton |
| In office 1969–1981 |
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| Preceded by | R. J. Allen |
| Succeeded by | Kennie Middleton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Charles Evers
September 11, 1922 Decatur, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | July 22, 2020 (aged 97) Brandon, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1978–2020) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (1969–1978) Democratic (before 1969) |
| Spouses | Christine Evers Nannie L. Magee |
| Relations | Medgar Evers (brother) Myrlie Evers-Williams (sister-in-law) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | James Evers (father) Jesse Wright (mother) |
| Alma mater | Alcorn State University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
James Charles Evers (born September 11, 1922 – died July 22, 2020) was an important American civil rights leader, a smart businessman, a radio host, and a politician. He was well-known for his work in the civil rights movement alongside his younger brother, Medgar Evers.
After serving in World War II, Charles Evers started working as a disc jockey at a radio station called WHOC in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In 1954, he became the chairman for voter registration in Mississippi for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
After his brother Medgar was sadly killed in 1963, Charles took over his role as the NAACP's field director in Mississippi. In this job, he organized and led many peaceful protests to help African Americans gain equal rights.
In 1969, the NAACP honored Evers by naming him "Man of the Year." On June 3, 1969, he made history by being elected mayor of Fayette, Mississippi. He was the first African-American mayor of a town in Mississippi with both Black and white residents since the Reconstruction era. This happened after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, which helped protect voting rights for all citizens.
When Evers became mayor, Fayette had about 1,600 people, with most being African-American. Some of the white police officers in Fayette chose to leave rather than work under a Black leader. Evers said he would operate with an all-Black police department for a while, but he still hoped white people would join them to help Fayette grow. He also made a rule against carrying guns within the city limits.
He ran for governor in 1971 and for the United States Senate in 1978, both times as an independent candidate. After serving 16 years as mayor, Evers was not re-elected in 1989. Later in his life, he joined the Republican Party. He supported Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Donald Trump in 2016. He was known for being friends with people from many different backgrounds and for advising politicians from all sides. After his political career, he went back to radio and hosted his own show called Let's Talk. In 2017, Evers was recognized for his work in music and was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Charles Evers was born in Decatur, Mississippi, on September 11, 1922. His father, James Evers, was a laborer, and his mother, Jesse Wright Evers, was a maid. He was the oldest of four children, and Medgar Evers was his younger brother.
He went to public schools that were separated by race. These schools for African Americans in Mississippi often did not get enough money. This was because African Americans were largely kept out of the political system after 1890. Evers later graduated from Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi.
His Work and Activism
Early Career and Business
During World War II, Charles and Medgar Evers both served in the United States Army. After his military service, Charles settled in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In 1949, he became the first Black disc jockey in Mississippi, working at WHOC radio. By the early 1950s, he also managed a hotel, a taxi company, and a burial insurance business in the town. Due to local opposition, he moved to Chicago in 1956.
Fighting for Civil Rights
Around 1951, Charles and Medgar Evers became very interested in freedom movements for African people. They learned about leaders like Jomo Kenyatta and the fight against colonialism in Kenya. Charles and his brother became active in the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL). This group encouraged Black people to help themselves and own businesses. He also helped his brother with campaigns to register Black voters.
From 1952 to 1955, Evers often spoke at the RCNL's yearly meetings in Mound Bayou. This town was founded by formerly enslaved people. He talked about important topics like voting rights. His brother Medgar continued his civil rights work and became the field secretary and head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Mississippi. While Charles was working in Chicago, he sent money to Medgar to support his efforts.
On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers was tragically shot and killed in Mississippi. Charles learned of his brother's death and quickly flew to Jackson. He was very sad and helped plan Medgar's funeral. He then decided to move back to Mississippi to continue his brother's important work. A journalist named Jason Berry, who worked for Charles later, said that Medgar's death inspired Charles to become an even better person. Years later, Evers and blues musician B.B. King started the Medgar Evers Homecoming Festival. This was a yearly event held in June in Mississippi to honor Medgar.
Charles Evers took over his brother's role as the head of the NAACP in Mississippi. He strongly believed in racial integration, which means bringing people of all races together. He led a series of boycotts in southwestern Mississippi starting in 1965 to protest segregation. These boycotts made him much more well-known. He often worked with a group of followers, encouraging Black residents in small towns to avoid stores that were under boycott. He also directly challenged white business leaders.
Evers also led a big campaign to register voters. He organized his efforts from the small town of Fayette in Jefferson County. Fayette was a small town with about 2,500 people. About three-fourths of the people were Black, and they had faced social and economic challenges for a long time. Evers moved the NAACP's Mississippi office to Fayette. He wanted to use the large Black population to gain political power in Jefferson and nearby counties. He said, "My feeling is that Negroes gotta control somewhere in America, and we've dropped anchor in these counties. We are going to control these three counties in the next ten years."
Because of his voter registration drives, the number of Black registered voters in Fayette became twice as large as the white voters. In 1966, Evers helped elect a Black man to the local school board. He also created the Medgar Evers Community Center outside of town. This center was used for voter registration, and it also had a grocery store, a restaurant, and a dance hall. By early 1968, he had set up many local NAACP groups in the area. The leader of each group worked as Evers' helper, and he went to all their meetings.
That year, he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He faced six white opponents in the Democratic primary election. Even though he didn't have much money, he got the most votes in the first round. The Mississippi Legislature then passed a new law that required a second election if no one won a clear majority. Evers lost this second election. He also supported Robert F. Kennedy's campaign for president in 1968. Evers was with Kennedy in Los Angeles when Kennedy was sadly killed.
Mayor of Fayette
In May 1969, Evers ran for Mayor of Fayette and won against the white mayor, R. J. Allen. Evers received 386 votes to Allen's 255. This made him the first Black mayor of a town in Mississippi with both Black and white residents since the Reconstruction era. Evers' election as mayor was very important for the state and gained national attention. The NAACP named him their 1969 Man of the Year. Evers used a popular saying: "Hands that picked cotton can now pick the mayor."
The local white community was not happy about his victory. However, he became very popular among Black people in Mississippi. To celebrate his win, he held a special event in Natchez. Many Black Mississippians, reporters from all over the country, and important national leaders attended. The school board, which was mostly white, would not let Evers take his oath of office on their property. So, he took his oath in a parking lot instead.
Evers appointed a Black police force and hired several Black staff members. He also got help from young, white volunteers who wanted to support a civil rights leader. Evers wanted to make Fayette a strong community and a safe place for Black people. He was strict about certain behaviors in town. He ordered the police to enforce a 25-mile per hour speed limit, banned swearing in public, and cracked down on students skipping school. He also made it illegal to carry guns in town, but he always carried a gun himself. He quickly helped poor Black residents with their concerns, while making white business owners wait to see him. He sometimes spoke about bringing races together and other times about the challenges they faced.
Fayette's white population remained upset about Evers' victory. Many avoided the city hall where they used to gather. The Fayette Chronicle, a local newspaper, often criticized him. He argued with the county leaders about his plan to put statues of his brother, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Kennedys in the courthouse square. He told the press, "They're cooperating because they haven't blown my head off. This is Mississippi."
Evers' strong leadership style sometimes caused disagreements. In early 1970, most of Fayette's police department resigned. Evers felt that some local Black residents were "jealous" of him. As the judge in the town court, he personally gave out fines for things like swearing in public. He often made decisions without much input from the town board. During Evers' time as mayor, Fayette received several grants from the government. A company called ITT Inc. also built a factory in the town. However, the region's economy still faced challenges.
Evers served many terms as mayor of Fayette. While some people admired him, others were upset by his firm stands on different issues. Evers preferred to make decisions himself and did not like to share power. In 1981, Evers lost the Democratic primary election for mayor to Kennie Middleton. Four years later, Evers defeated Middleton in the primary and won back the mayor's office. In 1989, Evers lost the nomination again to Kennie Middleton. After this defeat, Evers accepted it, saying he was tired: "Twenty years is enough. I'm tired of being out front. Let someone else be out front."
Later Political Career
Evers thought about running for governor in 1969. He decided to run as an independent candidate in the 1971 Mississippi gubernatorial election. He started his campaign with a rally in Decatur. He later explained his reason for running, saying, "I ran for governor because if someone doesn't start running, there will never be a black man or a black woman governor of the state of Mississippi."
He campaigned on promises of lower taxes, especially for older people, better healthcare, and making gambling legal along the Gulf Coast. He didn't have much money, so his campaign was mostly paid for by selling campaign buttons and copies of his book. His campaign team was mostly young and didn't have much experience.
Evers' rallies attracted many Black people. The Clarion-Ledger, a major newspaper in Mississippi, mostly ignored his campaign. To get attention, he sometimes showed up unexpectedly at events or talked to people on the streets of Jackson during their morning commute. Police in small towns were often surprised when his campaign group arrived. In 1971, 269 other Black candidates were running for office in Mississippi. Many of them felt that Evers was too focused on himself and not helping them, even though his chances of winning were small.
In the main election, Evers faced Democratic candidate Bill Waller and independent candidate Thomas Pickens Brady. Even though about 40 percent of Mississippi voters in 1971 were Black, Evers only received about 22 percent of the total votes. Waller won with 601,222 votes, Evers got 172,762, and Brady got 6,653. On election night, Evers shook hands with Waller's supporters in Jackson. He then went to a local TV station where Waller was giving his victory speech. Evers approached Waller's car before it left and told him, "I just wanted to congratulate you."
In 1978, Evers ran as an independent for the U.S. Senate seat. He finished in third place behind his opponents, Democrat Maurice Dantin and Republican Thad Cochran. He received 24 percent of the vote. Cochran won the election. After his Senate race, Evers briefly changed political parties and became a Republican.
In 1983, Evers ran as an independent for governor of Mississippi again but lost to the Democrat Bill Allain.
Evers supported Ronald Reagan for President of the United States in the 1980 election. Evers later faced some disagreement for supporting a judge named Charles W. Pickering, a Republican. Evers said that Pickering had helped the civil rights movement in Mississippi.
Evers became friends with many different kinds of people, from farmers to presidents. He was an informal advisor to politicians like Lyndon B. Johnson, George C. Wallace, Ronald Reagan, and Robert F. Kennedy. Evers also openly criticized some national leaders like Roy Wilkins and Louis Farrakhan on various issues.
Evers was a member of the Republican Party for 30 years. He spoke positively about the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the first Black President of the United States. During the 2016 presidential election, Evers supported Donald Trump's campaign for president.
Books
Evers wrote two books about his life. The first was called Evers (1971), written with Grace Halsell. The second was Have No Fear, written with Andrew Szanton and published in 1997.
Personal Life
Evers was married to Nannie L. Magee in 1951, and they had four daughters. They divorced in June 1974. Evers lived in Brandon, Mississippi, and managed the radio station WMPR 90.1 FM in Jackson.
Charles Evers passed away in Brandon on July 22, 2020, at the age of 97.
Media and Honors
Portrayal in Film
Evers was played by actor Bill Cobbs in the 1996 movie Ghosts of Mississippi.
Awards and Recognition
- 1969: Evers was named "Man of the Year" by the NAACP.
- 2012: Evers was honored with a special marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Fayette.
See Also
