Jackson, MS (June 4, 2023) – On June 4, the historic M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge will be added to the Mississippi Freedom Trail. Visit Jackson, Visit Mississippi, and the Mississippi Humanities Council are organizing the unveiling ceremony that will be a part of the M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge Homecoming activities that day. The historic site served as a sanctuary for Masons of Jackson and the Jackson Civil Rights Movement. At one time, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and other civil rights organizations of Mississippi had their central offices within the Stringer Lodge.
The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party organized and chose delegates during a conference at the Lodge to represent the party at the 1964 Democratic Convention. Those delegates later became catalysts for the expansion of voting rights to all Americans. The Lodge also served as Medgar W. Evers’ second Jackson office working as the field secretary for the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP. The current Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, led by Charles Taylor, is still housed in the M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge.
Join us on June 4 at 10:00 A.M. for the unveiling of the marker outside in the Lodge’s parking lot. The ceremony is open to the public. To learn more about the event contact John Spann or to organize interviews contact MCH communications manager Kam.