Civil Rights Icon Myrlie Evers Reflects on Kamala Harris’s Campaign

Myrlie Evers, a notable figure in the civil rights movement, reflects on a historic moment she never anticipated witnessing: a Black woman vying for the presidency of the United States. Evers, who faced her own challenges during the 1960s while advocating for Black voting rights in Mississippi, is enthusiastic about Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy, expressing her support with a resounding, “Hip! Hip! Hooray! It’s about time.”

However, Evers acknowledges the reality of the political landscape and considers the implications if Harris were to lose to former President Donald Trump. “It would be a sad day for me,” she remarked after a brief pause. “I’d have to say to myself: ‘It’s not over. It’s just beginning.’ It would be wake-up time.” At 91 years old, Evers has developed a long-term perspective on the struggle for civil rights and advocacy.

This Friday, Myrlie Evers will formally endorse Kamala Harris for president. She emphasizes that Harris represents the values that her late husband, Medgar Evers, devoted his life to fight for—justice, equality, and the belief that the nation can and should aspire to be better. Medgar Evers was assassinated in 1963 while working as the NAACP’s first field secretary in Mississippi and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by President Joe Biden in May.

Jasmine Harris, the Black media director for the Democratic campaign, expressed admiration for Medgar Evers’s legacy, highlighting the courage he exhibited despite the dangers posed by Jim Crow. “In spite of the immense cruelty… Medgar Evers exemplified the best in humanity,” she noted, conveying how deeply meaningful this endorsement is for Harris, who carries the ideals of the Civil Rights movement in her own political journey.

Myrlie Evers first met Kamala Harris through California Rep. Maxine Waters when Harris was campaigning for state attorney general in 2010. Evers has since admired Harris for her courage to stand for her beliefs amid potential opposition. She reflects on this sentiment, stating, “It takes a pretty strong person to step out into a crowd that may or may not be friendly and put yourself on the line for something that you believe in. I think she has done that.”

Evers’s endorsement solidifies Harris’s groundbreaking campaign and serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made by women in politics. This acknowledgment comes from one of the few surviving leaders of the civil rights movement, a movement that has historically struggled to recognize women’s contributions fully.

The political landscape is changing, and Evers has witnessed this transformation firsthand. She notes the increased visibility of women in leadership roles, including the nomination of the first woman of color for the presidency, the first Black woman in the Supreme Court, and the rising prospects of multiple Black women securing Senate seats.

If Lisa Blunt Rochester manages to win in Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland, the Senate would, for the first time, include two Black women at the same time. Evers expressed her joy at the growing number of women stepping into political roles, remarking, “I am simply pleased beyond control to see the number of women that are stepping out with no assurances that they will win but who … step out and say, ‘I’m going to work for this democracy.'”

Myrlie Evers’s journey has been marked by personal loss and unwavering determination. Following the assassination of her husband, she dedicated over three decades to seeking justice for his murder, achieving a conviction in 1994. Evers also broke barriers, becoming the first female chair of the NAACP and the first woman and layperson to deliver the invocation at a presidential inauguration during President Barack Obama’s second term in 2013.

Although advancing age and health challenges have slowed her down, Evers remains committed to her activism. Looking forward to the upcoming elections, she optimistically predicts, “We’ll have quite an election night on Nov. 5.” Concluding her conversation, she imparted a motivational farewell: “Keep the fires burning!”

Source: USA TODAY