Mississippi Power, Southern Company foundations donate to support new Evers Home National Monument

The Southern Company and Mississippi Power foundations have made significant donations to the Trust for Public Land that were directed for the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument that is now officially part of the National Park Service.

A grand opening ceremony was held on Thursday in Myrlie’s Garden located near the Evers’ home in Jackson, MS, where the civil rights leader Medgar Evers was slain in the carport 60 years ago. It was one of several events around the city marking the anniversary of his assassination on June 12, 1963.

The funds from the company foundations were used to help renovate the Evers home, so it will be accessible for scheduled public tours, as well as Myrlie’s Garden. The project is a partnership between the Trust for Public Land, the National Park Service, and the Alliance for Civil Rights Historic Sites.

“Medgar and Myrlie Evers are icons of the civil rights movement in Mississippi and the nation,” said Billy Thornton, Mississippi Power Vice President of External Affairs and Shared Services, who gave remarks at the ceremony. “As a very young boy growing up in nearby Copiah County, I sadly witnessed some of the injustices they shined a light upon and sought to change.

“When I reflect back to those times, I see how far we have come. There is still work to do but there has been a lot of progress.”

He noted that Southern Company and its subsidiaries like Mississippi Power are committed to facilitating change, including their support for this project.

Thornton also pointed to the adoption of the new Mississippi state flag a few years ago as another example of that progress, telling the attendees how Mississippi Power CEO Anthony Wilson was one of the influential state leaders in the movement to replace the flag with the inclusive “In God We Trust” design.

 “I believe Medgar would have been proud the day that old flag was taken down above the capitol,” Thornton said. 

Myrlie Evers-Williams, seated nearby, nodded in agreement as the crowd applauded and a few shouts of “Yes!” rang out.

“Oftentimes, Medgar would speak to me about his feelings for Mississippi,” said his widow Evers-Williams, who is now 90. “I never could quite understand how that man felt so seriously strong and good about the state of Mississippi. I would ask him, ‘How can you?’ His answer was always, ‘How can’t I?’

“This is my state. This is where I was born. There are things that need to be changed and I am going to be a part of that change. I told him but do you realize what that means, if he realized the cost that you will have to pay, that your family would have to pay. And he said, ‘Of course.’”

When she expressed her shock to that response, she recalled he said, “Get used to it Myrlie. Get used to it. That’s why I’m here.”

Mark Berry, SCS Senior Vice President of Research and Development, and Government Affairs Manager JR Robinson represented Southern Company at the event. Joining Thornton representing Mississippi Power were Government and Community Affairs Manager Stephen Stiglets and DE&I Program Manager Annie McMillan.

They were among the first to receive a guided tour of the Evers home by Keena Graham, the first National Park Superintendent for the newest national park site.

“This site and the work that has been done to preserve it are truly indicative of the legacy of love fostered by the Evers family,” Graham said. “We hope that, just as it has been for the past 60 years, this home will continue to be a place that people can come to learn, to understand and to be inspired by this legacy.”

Click here for more information on the Evers Home National Monument on the National Park Service website.

Now in its 98th year of operations, Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for more than 191,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power was honored with a Community Partner Impact Award from the Center for Energy Workforce Development for its innovative and ongoing efforts to build a diverse workforce. The Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve recently recognized Mississippi Power for its commitment to its military workforce. Mississippi Power has nearly 160MW of solar capacity at four locations across the company’s service territory, including Southern Company’s first project to combine the latest, cutting-edge solar technology with battery storage. Visit our websites at mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.