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HISTORY + CULTURE
Why Black Americans Warnings About Neo Nazis Were Ignored
Those subject to discrimination are poised to recognize the signs
Medgar Evers became the first field officer for the NAACP in Mississippi after serving in the United States Army, a career that gave him a unique perspective. While enlisted, he fought against fascism and nazism overseas. And yet, once home, Black veterans were met with racial segregation and discrimination. Not even risking their lives for their country changed the hearts and minds of many White Americans, who saw them as inferior. If America opposed the governing principles of the Nazi regime in World War II-era Germany, then wanton mistreatment of Black Americans certainly undermined that claim. "Let's urge our friends and relatives not to trade at these stores," Evers said, organizing a protest of businesses that discriminated against Black customers. However, his televised speech on May 20, 1963, on WLBT placed him in the national spotlight. "The Negro has been here in America since 1619, a total of 344 years. He is not going anywhere else; this country is his home," arguing that "a victory for democracy in Jackson" would "be a victory for democracy everywhere."
The broadcast received a slew of hateful messages from White people who didn't believe a Black…
