now myrlie evers-williams the widow of civil rights leader medgar evers and the late historian manningmarable recount the civil rights movement described in the autobiography of medgar evers. the civil rights leader was murdered in 1963. this is a little more than an hour. [applause] >> thank you. it is wonderful to be here this evening. i am going to read very briefly three short excerpts from the autobiography of medgar evers that captures different aspects of what the book covers. "the autobiography of medgar evers" was a labor of love for both myrlie and myself because medgar evers was more than simply a pioneer of the black freedom struggle. he was indeed a central figure in american history who has yet to be fully recognized for the giants that he was. this evening i would like to speak for about 20 minutes. myrlie is going to follow with her own personal reflections and comments on her experiences and the struggle were civil rights working side bayside with the central figure of american history maker wiley uppers and then we can entertain questions and your comments. the true o

that is why i am deeply honored to be with my partner and friend, myrlie evers williams, in putting forward for the first time the voice, the writings, and the documents of medgar evers. i'd like to turn the podium over now to myrlie evers williams. [applause] >> thank you. good evening to all of you, and i'm so delighted to see you here. i am, as always, moved by my friend, dr. manning maribel, and how articulate he is, the historian that he is, the picture that he presents to us so thoroughly and so colorfully. if i may at this point call you manning in front of all of these people, i thank you, i thank you. dr. maribel has played such an important role in getting this book published and out to the public. i want to in my thanking him tell you how this came about. but before i do that, i do want to say that he is a man who makes promises and i'm sure very carefully, but he keeps them. and that's something that epitomized medgar as well. of not promising anything that you can't keep, but that that you do promise, keep that promise. and that's what medgar did. i thank you, too, for going in