![]() Forty-one years after the murders took place, one perpetrator, Edgar Ray Killen, was charged by the state of Mississippi for his part in the crimes. Outrage over the activists' disappearances helped gain passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Seven were convicted and another pleaded guilty, and received relatively minor sentences for their actions. In 1967, after the state government refused to prosecute, the United States federal government charged 18 individuals with civil rights violations. The murder of the activists sparked national outrage and an extensive federal investigation, filed as Mississippi Burning (MIBURN), which later became the title of a 1988 film loosely based on the events. During the investigation it emerged that members of the local White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the Neshoba County Sheriff's Office, and the Philadelphia, Mississippi Police Department were involved in the incident. ![]() Their bodies were not discovered until seven weeks later, when the team received a tip. An extensive search of the area was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), local and state authorities, and 400 U.S. The civil-rights workers' burnt-out car was found parked near a swamp three days after their disappearance. The disappearance of the three men was initially investigated as a missing persons case. ![]() The bodies were buried in an earthen dam. The three were abducted, driven to another location, and shot at close range. Before leaving Neshoba County, their car was pulled over again. As the three left town in their car, they were followed by law enforcement and others. The trio was arrested following a traffic stop for speeding, escorted to the local jail, and held for a number of hours. The three men had traveled roughly 38 miles (61 km) north from Meridian, to the community of Longdale, to talk with congregation members at a black church that had been burned the church had been a center of community organization. ![]() Since 1890 and through the turn of the century, Southern states had systematically disenfranchised most black voters by discrimination in voter registration and voting.Ĭhaney was African-American, and Goodman and Schwerner were both Jewish. They had been working with the Freedom Summer campaign by attempting to register African Americans in Mississippi to vote. All three were associated with the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) and its member organization, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The victims were James Chaney from Meridian, Mississippi, and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner from New York City. The murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner, also known as the Freedom Summer murders, the Mississippi civil rights workers' murders, or the Mississippi Burning murders, were the abductions and murders of three activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in June 1964, during the Civil Rights Movement. Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.Murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner.In memory of Derrick Deon Demus, please visit our floral store. Demus father Errick Demus one sister, Bridgette Demus one nephew, Zayden Briggs one niece, Skylar Claybon grandfather, Roosevelt Demus grandmotherDorothy Mae Perkins father-in-law, Bishop Algie Morgan (Annie Pearl) three sisters-in-law, Alisa Morgan, Carolyn (Timmy) Nixon, and Cynthia (Andrew) Toney godfather, Ivory Dotson four godchildren, Mariah Knight, Raleigh Williams, Ajha Hunter, and Miracle Underwood best friends, Christopher Williams, and Crandall Hall. He leaves to cherish his wonderful memories, his loving, adoring wife, Tammy Demus one son, Ethan Demus one step-daughter, Morgan Fuller mother Gloria J. Demus and Brenda Robinson uncle Cedric Allen (Poncho) Demus and grandfather, Henry Perkins. He served as faithfully as he could with the audio and media ministry at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church.ĭerrick is preceded in death by his grandmother, Bessie Mae Demus two aunts, Jacquelyn C. He was a member of the Top Knotch Car Club (TKCC) which became a second family that he loved dearly. Derrick was affectionately known to many as DJ Focus due to his love for music. He was very passionate about audio and music. His favorite sport was football and his favorite team was the Florida Gators. Derrick was a hard worker and worked for the Department of Corrections for twelve years until his health started to decline. He met his beautiful wife Tammy Renea Morgan in 2007. After graduating high school, he attended Alabama State University to study information Technology. He remained a faithful member until God called him home on October 1, 2019. Perkins on August 3, 1983, in Montgomery, AL.ĭerrick believed in God, and at the young age of 15 he joined Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church of Montgomery, AL under the leadership of Dr.
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