Re-opening The Evers Case? | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Re-opening The Evers Case?

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Jackson Mayor Frank Melton launched into a tirade last week over his desire to give the Jackson international airport the full name of former NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers, who was assassinated in his driveway in 1963.

Jackson council members voted 6-0 in favor of changing the airport name to the Jackson-Evers International Airport in December 2004, at the request of Jackson resident Ineva May-Pittman, but some city residents, including Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, wanted Evers full name to be on the airport.

Melton, speaking at the BankPlus-Mississippi Symphony Orchestra concert at Thalia Mara Hall for a tribute to Medgar Evers, surprised some in the audience when, pumping his fist in the air, he announced that "I'm not going to rest until Evers' full name" was on the airport.

The city's Planning and Development Department decided last year on the hyphenated version of the current name.

Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore, who voted to support the name change in 2004, said he was unaware of any administration language indicating a desire to re-name the airport a second time.

"If (Melton) plans to re-name the airport I haven't received word on it, yet," McLemore said. "Not to say the council wouldn't be friendly to the prospect, but I dont think weve heard any plan so far."

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