JANS – The Mississippi Humanities Council, in partnership with the Visit Mississippi, will have a series of Freedom Trail marker unveilings commemorating pivotal figures and moments in the Civil Rights Movement. These unveilings will honor the courage and dedication of local leaders and activists whose actions helped shape the fight for freedom and justice.

November 2, 2024, 10 a.m. – Palace Theatre, 111 Main St., McComb, MS 39648 – Four Mississippi Freedom Trail markers will be unveiled in McComb, the site of the earliest organizing efforts by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the state. The markers will recognize:

• Aylene Quin – Civil rights activist and advocate for education and voter rights.

• The Infamous McComb Bombings – A series of violent bombings targeting civil rights workers and supporters.

• Burgland Grocery Store & Masonic Temple – Key locations for community organizing and civil rights meetings.

• The Burgland School Protest – A student-led protest against segregation and inequality in education.

Following the unveilings, a reception will be held at the Palace Theatre in McComb. Community members and attendees are invited.

November 8, 2024 – Canton, MS – On November 8, a marker will be unveiled in Canton to honor the extraordinary work of Flonzie Brown Wright, the first African American female elected to public office in Mississippi during the 20th century.

November 9, 2024 – Hattiesburg & Natchez, MS – On the morning of November 9, two markers will be unveiled:

• Victoria Gray Adams – Honoring her legacy as a civil rights leader and one of the founding members of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, at Palmer’s Crossing outside of Hattiesburg.

• The Natchez Deacons of Defense – Recognizing the Natchez-based African American self-defense organization that protected civil rights workers and communities.