Thickening Memory | Thickening Resiliency: Civil Rights Heritage in Meyersville

In the 1960s, Fannie Lou Hamer traveled up and down the Mississippi River, organizing for the civil rights movement. Along with SNCC she organized the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964. The three main tenants of that summer was voter registration, building community centers for Black people because they had no other place to gather other than churches, and establishing Freedom School to educate the community.

What she was trying to advocate for was freedom and self-reliance. However, through her method she utilized cooperatives to achieve her goal. The relationship between sovereignty and interdependence is an ironic one.

In the 1960s, Fannie Lou Hamer traveled up and down the Mississippi River, organizing for the civil rights movement. Along with SNCC she organized the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964. The three main tenants of that summer was voter registration, building community centers for Black people because they had no other place to gather other than churches, and establishing Freedom School to educate the community. What she was trying to advocate for was freedom and self-reliance. However, through her method she utilized cooperatives to achieve her goal. The relationship between sovereignty and interdependence is an ironic one.

Veronica Darton Garland, a young farmer in Mayersville told us she had not experienced floods until 2011. In the very room we sat, she had witnessed her community come together like never before. The proposal provided is an ecological, cultural, and economic stance on the community of Mayersville. By creating a buffering zone through secondary levees and a reforesting of the area between the primary levee and the community, nature will assist the citizens to absorb the seepage water that they have been experiencing.

Veronica Darton Garland, a young farmer in Mayersville told us she had not experienced floods until 2011. In the very room we sat, she had witnessed her community come together like never before. The proposal provided is an ecological, cultural, and economic stance on the community of Mayersville. By creating a buffering zone through secondary levees and a reforesting of the area between the primary levee and the community, nature will assist the citizens to absorb the seepage water that they have been experiencing.

The town’s population continues to decrease. In the 2020 censure they had less than 500 people. The largest population that is growing in the area are Latino from a rise of 0.3% to 24% of the total population. The proposed community center connects the past to the present and reminds the town of the significant role their land has held for thousands of years.

The town’s population continues to decrease. In the 2020 censure they had less than 500 people. The largest population that is growing in the area are Latino from a rise of 0.3% to 24% of the total population. The proposed community center connects the past to the present and reminds the town of the significant role their land has held for thousands of years.

To increase economic prosperity this Memory Trail highlighting the earth mounds and the Mississippi Freedom Trail has the potential of bringing back dignitaries and interested tourist. The small commercial space in each will provide community members to have a small commercial business for trade within the town, but also a small commercial enterprise for when tourist arrive.

To increase economic prosperity this Memory Trail highlighting the earth mounds and the Mississippi Freedom Trail has the potential of bringing back dignitaries and interested tourist. The small commercial space in each will provide community members to have a small commercial business for trade within the town, but also a small commercial enterprise for when tourist arrive.