Charles Evers
Charles Evers | |
---|---|
Mayor of Fayette | |
In office 1985–1989 | |
Preceded by | Kennie Middleton |
Succeeded by | Kennie Middleton |
In office 1969–1981 | |
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 Brandon, Mississippi, U.S. | (aged 97)
Political party | Democratic (before 1969) Independent (1969–1978) Republican (1978–2020) |
Spouse(s) | Christine Evers Nannie Magee |
Relations | Medgar Evers (brother) Myrlie Evers-Williams (sister-in-law) |
Children | 4 |
Education | Alcorn State University (BA) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Battles/wars | World War II |
James Charles Evers (September 11, 1922 – July 22, 2020) was an American
In 1969, Evers was named "Man of the Year" by the NAACP.
At the time of Evers's election as mayor, the town of Fayette had a population of 1,600 of which 75% was African-American and almost 25% white; the white officers on the Fayette city police "resigned rather than work under a black administration," according to the Associated Press. Evers told reporters "I guess we will just have to operate with an all-black police department for the present. But I am still looking for some whites to join us in helping Fayette grow." Evers then outlawed the carrying of firearms within city limits.[3]
He ran for
Early life and education
Charles Evers was born in
Career
Business activities
During
During the war he established a brothel in Quezon City which catered to American servicemen.[8] After serving a year of reserve duty following the Korean War, he settled in Philadelphia, Mississippi.[6] In 1949, he began working as a disc jockey at WHOC,[9] making him the first black disc jockey in the state. By the early 1950s, he was managing a hotel, cab company, and burial insurance business in the town. He had a cafe in Philadelphia and influenced over two hundred black citizens to pay their poll tax.[10] Forced to leave due to local white hostility in 1956, he moved to Chicago. Low on money, he began working as a meatpacker in stockyards during the day and as an attendant for the men's restroom at the Conrad Hilton Hotel at nights. He also began pimping and ran a numbers game, taking $500 a week from the latter. He gained enough money to purchase several bars, bootlegged liquor, and sold jukeboxes.[11]
Civil rights activism
In Mississippi about 1951, brothers Charles and Medgar Evers grew interested in African freedom movements. They were interested in
On June 12, 1963,
Over the opposition of more establishment figures in the
With his voter registration drives having made Fayette's number of black registered voters double the size of the white electorate, Evers helped elect a black man to the local school board in 1966. He also established the Medgar Evers Community Center at the outskirts of town, which served as a center for registration efforts, grocery store, restaurant, and dance hall. By early 1968 he had established a network of local NAACP branches in the region. The president of each branch served as Evers' deputies, and he attended all of their meetings.
Mayor of Fayette
In May 1969, Evers ran for the office of Mayor of Fayette and defeated white incumbent R. J. Allen, 386 votes to 255.
Evers appointed a black police force and several black staff members.[31] He also benefitted from an influx of young, white liberal volunteers who wanted to assist a civil rights leader. Many ended up leaving after growing disillusioned with Evers' pursuit of personal financial success and domineering leadership style.[32] Evers sought to make Fayette an upstanding community and a symbolic refuge for black people. Repulsed by the behavior of poor blacks in the town, he ordered the police force to enforce a 25-mile per hour speed limit on local roads, banned cursing in public, and cracked down on truancy. He also prohibited the carrying of firearms in town but kept a gun on himself. He quickly responded to concerns from poor blacks while making white businessmen wait outside of his office.[31] Rhetorically, he would vacillate between messages of racial conciliation and statements of hostility.[33]
Fayette's white population remained bitter about Evers' victory. Many avoided the city hall where they used to socialize and The Fayette Chronicle regularly criticized him.[30] He argued with the county board of supervisors over his plan to erect busts of his brother, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Kennedys on the courthouse square.[33] He told the press, "They're cooperating because they haven't blown my head off. This is Mississippi."[30] In September 1969, a Klansman drove into Fayette with a collection of weapons, intending to assassinate Evers. A white resident tipped off the mayor and the Klansman was arrested. The Klansman defended his motives by saying, "I am a Mississippi white man".[24]
Evers' moralistic style began to create discontent; in early 1970, most of Fayette's police department resigned, saying the mayor had treated them "like dogs".[34] Evers complained that local blacks were "jealous" of him.[34] As the judge in the municipal court, he personally issued fines for infractions such as cursing in public. He regularly ignored the input of the town board of aldermen, and town employee Charles Ramberg reported that he said he would fire municipal workers who would not vote for him.[35] During Evers' tenure, Fayette benefitted from several federal grants, and ITT Inc. built an assembly plant in the town, but the region's economy largely remained depressed. By 1981, Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate in the state.[36]
Whites' perception that Evers was venal and self-interested persisted and began to spread among the black community. This problem ballooned when in 1974 the
Evers served many terms as mayor of Fayette.[1] Admired by some, he alienated others with his inflexible stands on various issues. Evers did not like to share or delegate power. Evers lost the Democratic primary for mayor in 1981 to Kennie Middleton. Four years later, Evers defeated Middleton in the primaries and won back the office of mayor. In 1989, Evers lost the nomination once again to political rival Kennie Middleton.[4] In his response to the defeat, Evers accepted, said he was tired, and that: "Twenty years is enough. I'm tired of being out front. Let someone else be out front."[4]
1971 gubernatorial campaign
Evers began mulling the possibility of a campaign for the office of governor in 1969.[33] He decided to enter the 1971 gubernatorial election as an independent,[39] kicking off his campaign with a rally in Decatur.[40] He later explained his reason for launching the bid, 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."[33] He endorsed white segregationist Jimmy Swan in the Democratic primary, reasoning that if Swan won the nomination, moderate whites would be more inclined to vote for himself in the general election. He campaigned on a platform of reduced taxes—particularly for lower property taxes on the elderly, improved healthcare, and legalizing gambling along the Gulf Coast.[41] Low on money, his candidacy was largely funded by the sale of campaign buttons and copies of his recently published autobiography. His campaign staff was largely young and inexperienced and lacked organization.[33][42]
Evers' rallies drew large crowds of blacks.[43] The Clarion-Ledger, a leading Mississippian conservative newspaper, largely ignored his campaign. To gain attention, he unexpectedly gatecrashed the annual Fisherman's Rodeo in Pascagoula and stopped and spoke to people on the streets of Jackson during their morning commute.[40] Police departments in rural towns were often horrified by the arrival of his campaign caravan.[41] A total of 269 other black candidates were running for office in Mississippi that year, and many of them complained that Evers was self-absorbed and hoarding resources, despite his slim chances of winning. Evers did little to support them.[44]
In the general election, Evers faced Democratic nominee Bill Waller and independent segregationist Thomas Pickens Brady.[39] Waller and Evers were personally acquainted with one another, as Waller had prosecuted Beckwith for the murder of Medgar.[42][45] Despite the fears of public observers, the campaign was largely devoid of racism and Evers and Waller avoided negative tactics.[46] Though about 40 percent of the Mississippi electorate in 1971 was black, Evers only secured about 22 percent of the total vote;[40] Waller won with 601,222 votes to Evers' 172,762 and Brady's 6,653.[47] The night of the election, Evers shook the hands of Waller supporters in Jackson and then went to a local television station where his opponent was delivering a victory speech.[48] Learning that Evers had arrived, Waller's nervous aides hurried the governor-elect to his car. Evers approached the car shortly before its departure and told Waller, "I just wanted to congratulate you."[49] Waller replied, "Whaddya say, Charlie?"[50] and his wife leaned over and shook Evers' hand.[49]
Later political career
In 1978, Evers ran as an independent for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Democrat James Eastland.[51] He finished in third place behind his opponents, Democrat Maurice Dantin and Republican Thad Cochran. He received 24 percent of the vote, likely siphoning off African-American votes that would have otherwise gone to Dantin.[51] Cochran won the election with a plurality of 45 percent of the vote. With the shift in white voters moving into the Republican Party in the state (and the rest of the South), Cochran was continuously re-elected to his Senate seat.[51] After his failed Senate race, Evers briefly switched political parties and became a Republican.[51]
In 1983, Evers ran as an independent for governor of Mississippi but lost to the Democrat
Evers endorsed Ronald Reagan for President of the United States during the 1980 United States presidential election.[51] Evers later attracted controversy for his support of judicial nominee Charles W. Pickering, a Republican, who was nominated by President George H. W. Bush for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals.[53] Evers criticized the NAACP and other organizations for opposing Pickering, as he said the candidate had a record of supporting the civil rights movement in Mississippi.[54]
Evers befriended a range of people from
Evers was a member of the Republican Party for 30 years when he spoke warmly of the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States.[55] During the 2016 presidential election, Evers supported Donald Trump's presidential campaign.[56]
Books
Evers wrote two autobiographies or memoirs: Evers (1971), written with Grace Halsell and self-published; and Have No Fear, written with
Personal life
Evers was briefly married to Christine Evers until their marriage ended in annulment. In 1951, Evers married Nannie L. Magee, with whom he had four daughters.[6] The couple divorced in June 1974.[6] Evers lived in Brandon, Mississippi, and served as station manager of WMPR 90.1 FM in Jackson.[5]
On July 22, 2020, Evers died in Brandon at age 97.[6][59]
Media portrayal
Evers was portrayed by Bill Cobbs in the 1996 film Ghosts of Mississippi (1996).[60]
Honors
- 1969: Evers was named "Man of the Year" by the NAACP.[2]
- 2012: Evers was honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Fayette.[61][62]
See also
Notes
- ^ The town of Mound Bayou had been incorporated in 1898 as a Negro-only municipality and had had black mayors and council members throughout the 20th century.[25]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Biography of Charles Evers". msWritersandMusicians.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Charles Evers". PBS. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "A new day dawns in the Old South", Miami News, July 7, 1969, p1
- ^ a b c "Evers Is Defeated In Fifth-Term Bid". The New York Times. May 5, 1989. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ a b "Evers, James Charles (1922– ) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed". Blackpast.org. September 11, 1922. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g McFadden, Robert D. (July 22, 2020). "Charles Evers, Businessman and Civil Rights Leader, Dies at 97". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ "Charles Evers". Jacksonfreepress.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, p. 177.
- ^ a b "Charles Evers, WMPR, Jackson, Mississippi". Blues Foundation.
- ISBN 0465021778.
- ^ a b c d Nossiter 1994, p. 178.
- ^ a b "NAACP History: Medgar Evers". NAACP.org. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Evers Isn't Proud of Past History". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. April 14, 1971. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
- ^ "Medgar Evers Assassinated – Jun 12, 1963". History.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 178–179.
- ^ "Medgar Evers Homecoming Celebration". Mississippi Encyclopedia.
- ^ Dirks, Annelieke. “Between Threat and Reality: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Emergence of Armed Self-Defense in Clarksdale and Natchez, Mississippi, 1960-1965.” Journal for the Study of Radicalism, vol. 1, no. 1, 2007, pp. 71–98. JSTOR website Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 179.
- ^ a b c d Nossiter 1994, p. 181.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 179–180.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 180.
- ^ Watts, James (March 4, 1968). "16-year-old questioned in gun incident". Jackson Daily News.
- ^ "Church, Rights Leader Oscar Carr Dies", The Archives of the Episcopal Church, Episcopal News Service, November 9, 1977, retrieved October 7, 2022
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, p. 184.
- ^ "Republicans gain in statewide municipal elections", Delta Democrat-Times (Greenville MS), June 4, 1969, p. 1
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 175.
- ^ a b "Charles Evers". CivilRightsProject.com. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 182.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 175, 182.
- ^ a b c Nossiter 1994, p. 185.
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, pp. 183, 185.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 183.
- ^ a b c d e Nossiter 1994, p. 186.
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, p. 190.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 190–191.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 191.
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, pp. 191–192.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 192.
- ^ a b Busbee 2014, p. 343.
- ^ a b c Nossiter 1994, p. 187.
- ^ a b Nossiter 1994, p. 188.
- ^ a b Schoen, Douglas E. (December 14, 1971). "Evers For Everybody". The Crimson. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 186–187.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 188–189.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 174.
- ^ Sansing 2016, p. 211.
- ^ Sumners 1998, p. 140.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, p. 173.
- ^ a b Powers, Thomas. "Letter from a Lost Campaign". Harper's Magazine. No. March 1972.
- ^ Nossiter 1994, pp. 173–174.
- ^ a b c d e "Gates: Charles Evers rich part of states history". Clarion Ledger.com. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ a b "The Bryan Times Edition 1983". Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF CHARLES W. PICKERING". GPO.org. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Nomination of Charles W. Pickering Sr., of Mississippi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit (continued)". Vote Smart.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Evers comments on Obama becoming 1st African-American president". MSNewsnow.com. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ Bracey Harris. "Brother of Medgar Evers endorses Trump". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ISBN 9780199882861. Retrieved January 14, 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Have No Fear: The Charles Evers Story". Publishers Weekly.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Charles Evers, brother of Medgar Evers, dead at 97". July 22, 2020. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ "Whoopi Goldberg and Alec Baldwin Star in Medgar Evers film 'Ghosts of Mississippi'". Jet. December 30, 1996. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
Bill Cobbs portrays Medgar Evers' brother, Charlie Evers
page 58 - ^ "Black disc jockeys honored with blues marker | The Mississippi Link". The Mississippi Link. April 30, 2012.
- ^ "Charles Evers". Mississippi Blues Trail. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
Works cited
- Busbee, Westley F. Jr. (2014). Mississippi: A History (second ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118755921.
- Nossiter, Adam (1994). Of Long Memory: Mississippi And The Murder Of Medgar Evers. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 9780201483390.
- Sansing, David G. (2016). Mississippi Governors: Soldiers, Statesmen, Scholars, Scoundrels (first ed.). Oxford: Nautilus Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-936946-81-5.
- Sumners, Cecil L. (1998). The Governors of Mississippi. Pelican Publishing. ISBN 9781455605217.
Further reading
- Charles Evers and ISBN 978-0-252-03420-6.
- Dittmer, John (1994). Local People: the Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-02102-9..
- I've Got the Light of Freedom: The Organizing Tradition and the Mississippi Freedom Struggle
External links
- The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, PBS [1]
- 90.1 WMPR, [2] Jackson Mississippi, Charles Evers station manager : blues, urban contemporary gospel, talk, variety
- Oral History Interview with Charles Evers, from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
- Warren, Robert Penn. Interview with Charles Evers, February 12, 1964 published in Who Speaks for the Negro? searchable transcript at Who Speaks for the Negro? Digital Archive of the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities and the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries at Vanderbilt University based on collections at University of Kentucky and Yale University Libraries.
- LIFE Magazine "A Black Governor for Mississippi?" May 14, 1971
- Program from Mississippi ETV, “Newsmaker; Campaign '71. Charles Evers,” American Archive of Public Broadcasting
- Appearances on C-SPAN