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Classroom · Grades 7–12

Medgar Evers

Evers did the dangerous, patient organizing that laid the groundwork for the Mississippi movement, and his assassination focused national attention on the struggle for civil rights.

Lesson at a Glance

Grades
Grades 7–12
Time
One class period (20–40 minutes)
Standards
NCSS Themes 10 (Civic Ideals and Practices) and 6 (Power, Authority, and Governance); C3 D2.His.1.9-12, D2.Civ.14.6-8
Reading
Medgar Evers (profile)

Big Idea

Evers did the dangerous, patient organizing that laid the groundwork for the Mississippi movement, and his assassination focused national attention on the struggle for civil rights.

Before Class

Students read the profile of Medgar Evers, including the Key Dates and Sources.

Discussion Questions

  1. Evers and his brother tried to vote in 1946 after returning from military service and were turned away by armed men. How did service abroad shape the expectations of Black veterans at home?
  2. As NAACP field secretary, Evers investigated killings, recruited members, and encouraged voter registration. Why was this kind of behind-the-scenes work so dangerous in Mississippi?
  3. Byron De La Beckwith was not convicted until 1994, after two deadlocked trials in 1964. What changed in thirty years that made a conviction possible?
  4. According to the National Park Service, Evers’s murder was the first killing of a civil rights leader to focus national attention on the movement. Why might his death have had that effect?

Activity

Students read or watch excerpts of President Kennedy’s civil rights address of 11 June 1963, delivered hours before Evers was shot in Jackson. In pairs they identify the rights Kennedy says all Americans deserve and the legislation he promises. The class then reads the profile’s account of Evers’s work and death and discusses how the events of that single night in June 1963 connected national promises to local danger. Students write a short reflection on how Evers’s organizing in Mississippi relates to the goals Kennedy announced (30–40 minutes).

Primary Sources

Cite this page
MLA
“Classroom lesson: Medgar Evers.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/classroom/medgar-evers/.
APA
Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Classroom lesson: Medgar Evers. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/classroom/medgar-evers/
Chicago
Black-History.com Editors. “Classroom lesson: Medgar Evers.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/classroom/medgar-evers/.
Editorial Note

By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.

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