Dear Pomona College Community,
I’m so proud to share the news that Myrlie Evers-Williams ’68, a leader for decades in the struggle for justice, is making Pomona College the home for her archival collection. The documents, photos and countless other items offer a window into her trailblazing life (see a short video) and the nation’s painful path through the Civil Rights Era.
Mrs. Evers-Williams came to California with her three children after the 1963 assassination of her husband, NAACP official Medgar Evers, at their Mississippi home and the failure of two all-white juries to convict his killer. She enrolled here at Pomona, seeking a new start, and graduated with a sociology major in 1968. Only two years out of Pomona, Evers-Williams was running for Congress, and soon became a prominent figure in Los Angeles civic life and a national voice for civil rights. Through it all, she continued to seek justice for her husband’s white supremacist assassin, who finally was convicted in 1994. The case inspired the movie “Ghosts of Mississippi.”
Evers-Williams continued to inspire the nation. In 1995, the NAACP turned to her for new leadership at a time of great strain for the civil rights organization. After his 2012 re-election, President Obama asked Evers-Williams to give the invocation at his second inauguration, making her the first woman and first layperson to do so. This past December, Evers-Williams was on campus for a special screening of the movie “Till,” in which she is portrayed by actress Jayme Lawson.
Over the last few years, I’ve had the honor of getting to know Evers-Williams, who turns 90 years old on March 17, and I am struck by her brilliance, perseverance and love. Pomona will take great care in stewarding the archival materials, which encompass her post-Mississippi life, and in time make them available both to scholars and the wider public through The Claremont Colleges Library. I envision students from local K-12 schools, including those Evers-Williams’ own children attended, someday visiting the collection to learn her story and gain inspiration for their own futures.
First, though, we must celebrate Evers-Williams’ 90th birthday and this extraordinary gift. Mark your calendars for a public celebration, including a viewing of part of the collection, set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22 at Bridges Auditorium.
I look forward to joining you and the entire community to honor Evers-Williams and inspire others to push forward on the path she cut.
With best wishes,
Gabi