Medgar Evers remembered as political violence rises in America

More than 60 years after civil rights icon Medgar Evers was assassinated outside his Mississippi home, his legacy was honored at the 2025 Democracy in Action Convening, as concerns grow over rising political violence in the United States.

Held under the theme "Medgar Evers at 100: A Legacy of Justice, a Future of Change," the four-day event paid tribute to what would have been Evers’ 100th birthday on July 2. Evers' daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, reflected on the enduring pain of losing her father to racial hatred. “It’s very painful,” she said, recalling her childhood grief.

Political commentator Joy Reid read a letter from former Vice President Kamala Harris, which praised Evers as a man who “fought for our freedom up until the day of his death.”

Stacey Abrams, voting rights advocate and speaker at the event, highlighted the relevance of Evers’ mission today. “No one who is willing to speak for the people should have their lives cut short because of what they say,” she said, while condemning recent political violence and authoritarian responses to protest.

The gathering served both as a commemoration and a call to continue the work Evers began—defending democracy, demanding justice, and protecting the right to dissent.