~Angel~ in Disguise

June 6 1966 - On this day in 1966, civil rights activist and war veteran James Meredith began the  220-Mile long March Against Fear through the state of Mississippi from Memphis to Jackson, by himself.

Getting hassled along the way by white Mississippians but remaining cheerful, he marched against racism and fear; encouraging black people to join him, to stand up and not to fear violence, and to register to vote. Despite police promising protection for his march, on the second day Meredith was shot with a shotgun by a white man hiding in the bushes along the road. (See the 4th and 5th gifs to see how urgently police deal with the shooter). Meredith was quickly taken to a hospital.

“When Europe was inhabited by a race of cannibals, a race of savages, naked men, heathens and pagans, Africa was peopled with a race of cultured Black men, who were masters in art, science and literature; men who were cultured and refined; men who, it was said, were like the gods.”