Three young civil rights workers disappeared after being pulled over by a sheriff's deputy near the small town of philadelphia. James chaney was traveling with two young white men from new york, fellow corps staff member schwerner and summer volunteer andrew goodman. The federal government eventually convicted seven white men in 19 67, including nashoba county sheriff's deputy cecil price. Another clan leader olved in the murders, edgar ray killon, was convicted forty one years later,. He died in prison in 20 18.
In the summer of 1964, about a thousand young Americans, black and white, came together in Mississippi to place themselves in the path of white supremacist power and violence. They issued a bold pro-democracy challenge to the nation and the Democratic Party.
Produced by John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with John Lewis, Bob Moses, Unita Blackwell, Hollis Watkins, Dorie Ladner, and many others.
The series editor is Loretta Williams. Freedom song recordings courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways. Other music by Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
Photo: A Freedom Summer worker in Mississippi, 1964. Photo by Steve Schapiro.