I recently received a press release regarding an upcoming 43rd Annual Mississippi Civil Rights Martyrs Memorial Service and Conference and Caravan for Justice. You can read all about the event here.

I wasn't familiar with the Civil Rights Movement Veterans, but their website is an amazing historical archive of information about the civil rights movement. From their mission statement:

Our purpose is to make sure that there is at least one place where the Movement story is told by those who actually lived it. We want to set the record straight. Without the courage, determination, and activity of hundreds of thousands of men and women of all ages in cities, towns, and hamlets across the South there would have been no Civil Rights Movement, no famous leaders, no court rulings, no new laws, and no change.

In addition to documenting the Southern Freedom Movement by telling it like it was and testifying to what we did and what it meant to us, the website is also a place to begin renewing the ties that once bound us together in a beloved community, a place for finding lost friends, and a tool for helping fellow veterans in need. And it is a living memorial for our fallen comrades.

The maintain a "roll call" of civil rights movement participants from all over who register at the site and provide background on their involvement. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section where members answer questions by relating their own experiences.

The website has an abundance of resources including an extensive bibliography, a library of links to online civil rights resources, and lots more. The fascinating personal accounts are at times sad and even terrifying, but all are moving and uplifting. This is a great resource for anyone researching the 1960s Civil Rights Movement or who is just interested in learning more about it.

(Originally posted at Facing South)