Meridian Civil Rights Trail
The Meridian Civil Rights Trail is a heritage trail in Meridian, Mississippi in the United States. It was created in 2014 by the Meridian and Lauderdale County Tourism Bureau in consultation with a committee of local residents to highlight the history of civil rights activism in the area.[1]
Tour stops
[edit]The first seven markers are within walking distance of each other. The remaining eleven markers require a vehicle to visit within a reasonable amount of time. All Locations are in Meridian, Mississippi.[1]
| Number | Marker name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | African-American Business District | Intersection of 25th Avenue & 5th Street | |
| 2 | The Movement | Intersection of 25th Avenue & 5th Street | |
| 3 | Sit-Ins, Pickets & Boycotts | 2211 5th Street | |
| 4 | The Jewish Contribution | 2200 5th Street | |
| 5 | Federal Courthouse | 2100 9th Street | |
| 6 | Voter Registration | 500 Constitution Avenue | |
| 7 | Freedom Riders | 212 Constitution Avenue | |
| 8 | McLemore Cemetery | Intersection of 6th Street & 16th Avenue | |
| 9 | Newell Chapel | 1400 13th Avenue | |
| 10 | St. Joseph Catholic Church | 1914 18th Avenue | |
| 11 | St. John Baptist Church | 2000 18th Avenue | |
| 12 | The Impact of Churches | Intersection of 13th Street & 27th Avenue | Between St. Paul United Methodist and New Hope Missionary Baptist Church |
| 13 | Wechsler School | 1415 30th Avenue | The first brink public school for blacks in Mississippi that was publicly funded. |
| 14 | Freedom School | Intersection of 16th Street & Martin Luther King Memorial Drive/31st Avenue | |
| 15 | Council of Organizations | 814 45th Avenue | |
| 16 | Old Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church | 829 47th Avenue | |
| 17 | First Union Missionary Baptist Church | 610 38th Avenue | |
| 18 | James Chaney gravesite | 5052 Fish Lodge Road |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Koelker, Gena (19 February 2017). "Meridian's civil rights trail". Meridian Star. Meridian, Mississippi. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
The trail is a two-hour, self-guided tour that takes participants on a journey through the history of the Civil Rights Era as it winds through Meridian and Lauderdale County.