The latest Mississippi Freedom Trail marker was unveiled today in Grenada. The marker, located at the corner of Line and Green streets, memorializes the events surrounding the integration of Grenada schools in 1966 and includes photos and information about the violence and intimidation faced by students and their families and the outcome as schools in the district were fully integrated.
“The Civil Rights movement in Mississippi was a pivotal and tumultuous period in American history,” said Visit Mississippi Director Rochelle Hicks. “This marker stands as a testament to the bravery and resilience of those who fought tirelessly to ensure that every student in Grenada, regardless of their background, had access to quality education.”
The unveiling took place at 11 a.m. and featured remarks from Grenada Vice Mayor Fredrick (Pete) Wilson, Ward 3 City Councilman Lewis Johnson, Elder Henry Ingram of Battle Temple Church of God in Christ, and Two Museums Director Michael Morris. James Conley, a 1966 Grenada school student, also was in attendance, as well as Ewunike Kimble, Rashida Watson, and Jameelah Hudson-White, the children of other former students from the time.
“There has been a ‘legacy of silence’ regarding the 1966 Grenada County Freedom Movement, which was the catalyst for the local school desegregation,” said Diana Freelon-Foster of the Grenada County Freedom Movement Legacy Committee. “Having this event chronicled in Mississippi history with a historical marker on the Mississippi Freedom Trail will help to further break that silence and hopefully create more honest community dialogue.”
