E.H. Hurst
Encyclopedia
E.H. Hurst was a Democratic Party member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
in the 1950s-60s, who opposed registration of African-American voters. On September 25, 1961, Hurst, who was white, shot and killed his former childhood friend, Herbert Lee, who was black. Lee was one of the first African-Americans to try to register to vote during the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC) campaign in Mississippi. A jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide on the same day, on the grounds of self-defense
. The Amite County courtroom was full of armed white men. One of the witnesses, Louis Allen
, soon recanted his testimony
, saying that he had lied to protect his family. Before he could testify about the intimidation, Allen, too, was murdered in his driveway by a shot-gun blast. Medgar Evers
was one of the speakers at Lee's funeral. The murder and similar violence elsewhere were setbacks to the black registration drive. By the end of 1964, Freedom Summer
, out of 500,000 eligible blacks, Mississippi had only 1,200 new black voters.
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
in the 1950s-60s, who opposed registration of African-American voters. On September 25, 1961, Hurst, who was white, shot and killed his former childhood friend, Herbert Lee, who was black. Lee was one of the first African-Americans to try to register to vote during the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ' was one of the principal organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. It emerged from a series of student meetings led by Ella Baker held at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina in April 1960...
(SNCC) campaign in Mississippi. A jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide on the same day, on the grounds of self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
. The Amite County courtroom was full of armed white men. One of the witnesses, Louis Allen
Louis Allen
Louis Allen was an African-American logger and civil rights activist, involved in voter registration in the small town of Liberty, Mississippi. He allegedly witnessed the murder of a fellow activist by a white state legislator, and was himself murdered when he approached federal authorities about...
, soon recanted his testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
, saying that he had lied to protect his family. Before he could testify about the intimidation, Allen, too, was murdered in his driveway by a shot-gun blast. Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
was one of the speakers at Lee's funeral. The murder and similar violence elsewhere were setbacks to the black registration drive. By the end of 1964, Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer was a campaign in the United States launched in June 1964 to attempt to register as many African American voters as possible in Mississippi which had historically excluded most blacks from voting...
, out of 500,000 eligible blacks, Mississippi had only 1,200 new black voters.