Medger Evers was born in Decatur, Mississippi. In his youth he joined the army, then attended Alcorn University. After college his first job was as an insurance salesman. He traveled all over Mississippi and saw the horrible condition of Negros in his state. This prompted him to join the NAACP where he was eventually appointed Mississippi's first field secretary. Evers used this position to fight discrimination wherever he found it.

Evers was very outspoken. In 1963 he gave his life for his beliefs. His killer Byron de la Beckwith walked free twice when all-White juries found him innocent. Twenty years later it was found that both juries had been tampered with. Evers wife, along with the assistant district attorney began, putting a new case together.

In 1990 Beckwith was arrested once again and this time he ended up in prison after 31 years of freedom.