Mt. Zion remembers sacrifice
The Historic Mt. Zion United Methodist Church held its 60th Annual Memorial Service for James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner on Sunday.
The trio was murdered on June 21, 1964, in Neshoba County by the Ku Klux Klan because they were involved in a movement registering Blacks to vote.
The young men, Chaney, 21, Goodman, 20, and Schwerner, 24, were in Neshoba County to investigate the June 16, 1964, burning of Mt. Zion set ablaze by the Klan to lure them here in a conspiracy that involved law enforcement.
Central District Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons stepped in as the guest speaker after U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson’s office said he had family commitments on Father’s Day.
On the night of the fire, several church members were beaten, some severely, as they left a church meeting.
“This church and your commitment to keep it alive, tell the story, and continue to remind us of what occurred in 1964 is very important,” Simmons said. “In 1964, this country was very divided along racial lines. It was a tragedy.”
“The three individuals, along with many others, came into places like Mississippi to right a wrong, and as a result, lost their lives in 1964,” he said. “When I was invited to come here, I was so excited that I could recognize change.”
The young men were stopped in town on trumped-up speeding charges and jailed until nightfall. They were released and headed down Highway 19 to their headquarters in Meridian.
They were ambushed near House, taken to a remote gravel road, and shot in the head at point-blank range. Their bodies were taken to a site off Highway 21 South and buried in an earthen dam. Their bodies were found 44 days later after one of the most extensive searches in U.S. history.
Makayala Triplett began the service on Sunday with a beautiful rendition of “Rise Up,” followed by opening remarks from Shayla Robertson. The people then sang “Lift Every Voice.”
The Rev. Eddie Hinton Sr. welcomed guests, followed by songs by the Mt. Zion Youth Group, who sang “Grateful,” “Were You There?,” “Go Down Moses,” and “Emmanuel.”
The youth also shared the history of the church burning, brief biographies of the three men, and letters written by their families.
The Rev. Hinton recognized many special guests and then led a prayer for the church and the community. The people joined in the singing of “We’ve Come This Far By Faith.”
Mistie August presented The Occasion, followed by a powerful solo of “I Came To Tell You” by Edna Steele.
The church then held a candle-lighting ceremony and rang the bell for the three civil rights workers before harmonizing with the song “We Shall Overcome.”
The event concluded with the wreath ceremony at the memorial in front of the church, reflecting the congregation’s commitment to never forgetting the sacrifices.
Thompson was scheduled to speak at the memorial but could not attend, his Washington office said, due to family obligations on Father’s Day.