when medgar every evers, we know a lot about medgar evers, but not everything. when he came home from service, he served from d day to the battle of the bulge. when he came home, he was on his way home on the back of a bus in uniform with his discharge papers and full of medals, and when the bus stopped for people to eat lunch, he was left on the bus. >> this is in the 1940s? >> yes, this is 1945, '46. and that year was an election year. and medgar evers and his brother decided they were going to vote, which no one had ever done in their county. and their parents were told don't let this happen. because you're not going to like what happens to them. the parents told them what this white visitor had said, but they did not tell them not to go to the polling place. and they did. where they were turned back by guns and the threat of violence. they turned back and they got their own guns and walked back towards the polling place and there were met by more guns and decided we don't really want to get killed, so they walked home. they were not able to vote in 1946. and

years after his service to our country in war, medgar evers became the secretary of the naacp and a civil mississippi in 1963, evers said, quote, freedom has never been free. true then, true now. that's "nightline" for this evening. thanks for the company, america. have a good weekend. be safe.

and medgar evers and his brother charles decided they were going to vote. which no one had ever done in their county. and they they went through the their parents were told don't let this happen because you're not gonna like what happens to them the parents told them what this white visitor had said. but they but they did not tell them not to go to the polling place and they did where they returned back by guns and you know. the threat of violence and they turned back and they got their own guns and walked back toward the polling place and they were about by more guns and decided wait. we don't really want to get killed. so they walk home they were not able to vote in 1946. and i mean it's it's striking to me. that we're still talking about voting rights. there's going to be a debate in the senate tonight. maybe it's going on already about voting rights. how could this be? it's disgusting. there's a a historical precedent relating to this order about. black soldiers returning from world war one and there's a quote that i i could read the quote or do you want