Civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner are abducted and murdered by Klansmen near Philadelphia, Mississippi.
At a Glance
- Date
- 21 June 1964
- Location
- Philadelphia, Mississippi
- Key people
- James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner
- Category
- Civil Rights Movement
- Source
- Federal investigation records (1964) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
Their deaths during Freedom Summer drew national attention to anti-voting terror.
What It Means Now
The case helped build support for the Voting Rights Act.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Freedom Summer Murders in Mississippi.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/freedom-summer-murders-in-mississippi/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Freedom Summer Murders in Mississippi. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/freedom-summer-murders-in-mississippi/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Freedom Summer Murders in Mississippi.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/freedom-summer-murders-in-mississippi/.
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.