| Visit Mississippi and New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism (NJTT), along with Visit Atlantic City, have unveiled the newest addition to the Mississippi Freedom Trail outside of the historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on 21st August.
This marker, part of a series commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 1964 Freedom Summer voting rights movement, honours the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and its groundbreaking efforts toward equality at the 1964 Democratic National Convention which took place at Boardwalk Hall. New Jersey is the first and only state outside of Mississippi to host an official Mississippi Freedom Trail marker.
“Mississippi is proud to unveil the first Freedom Trail marker outside of our state, extending our rich history and the stories of the Civil Rights Movement to Atlantic City,” said Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. “This marker not only honours the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer but also invites visitors to discover more of Mississippi’s civil rights legacy. We extend our gratitude to the state of New Jersey, Atlantic City, Governor Phil Murphy and Lt. Governor Tahesha Way for their partnership in honouring this critical chapter of our shared history.”
“We are honoured to feature the first Freedom Trail marker outside of Mississippi,” said New Jersey Acting Governor Tahesha Way. “Atlantic City is home to several locations that honour the state’s civil rights history, including the Civil Rights Garden and the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey. Today, this new Freedom Trail marker signifies the community’s role in supporting the Freedom Summer activists to ensure equal representation for Black voters, which played a key role in the Civil Rights movement and forever altered the course of U.S. election history.”
The 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City was a pivotal moment in civil rights history, playing a crucial part in challenging racial segregation and standing as the defining event of Freedom Summer. This historic convention led to significant advancements in the Civil Rights movement. The efforts of Mississippi’s Freedom Summer activists were supported by volunteers and organisations in New Jersey, who helped shape the future of voting rights in America.
Part of the United States Civil Rights Trail, the Mississippi Freedom Trail consists of over 30 sites that offer visitors the opportunities to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement, honour important figures of the era and sightsee across the state.
For more on the Mississippi Freedom Trail, go to visitmississippi.org. For more information about New Jersey, go to visitnj.org. |
