June 12, 1963 — in history
Civil rights leader is assassinated at his home
A WWII veteran and civil rights leader working on high-profile cases, including the deaths of Emmet Till and James Meredith, Medgar Evers, 37, is shot in the back and through the heart as he arrives at his home. His murderer will be twice acquitted and not be sent to prison until 1994.

Medgar Wiley Evers was an American civil rights activist in Mississippi, the state’s field secretary for the NAACP, and a World War II veteran who had served in the United States Army. He worked to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi, end the segregation of public facilities, and expand opportunities for African Americans, which included the enforcement of voting rights.

Lived: Jul 02, 1925 – Jun 12, 1963 (age 37)
Movies and TV shows: I Am Not Your Negro
Spouse: Myrlie Evers-Williams (m. 1951 – 1963)
Education: Alcorn State University
Children: James Van Evers (Son) · Reena Denise Evers (Daughter) · Darrell Evers (Son)
Siblings: Charles Evers (Brother) · Ruth Evers (Sister) · Elizabeth Evers (Sister) · Gene · Eva Lee
Buried: Arlington National Cemetery