Jackson building named for four men
Civil
rights activists had wanted the new FBI building in Jackson named after
three civil rights workers killed in Neshoba County in 1964.
FBI
officials had wanted it named after the first special agent in charge of the
FBI in Mississippi, the man who headed the investigation into the
killings.
This
week, both groups officially got their wish.
In
a compromise, the building, located at 1220 Echelon Parkway in Jackson, was
named after all four: James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner
and Roy K. Moore Federal Building.
The
Senate approved the bill Aug. 5 by unanimous consent, and on Sept. 16, the
bill unanimously passed the House. President Barack Obama signed the
legislation into law Thursday.
Chaney,
Goodman and Schwerner were killed in June 1964 and their bodies uncovered in
an earthen dam the following August. The late Roy Moore opened the Jackson office of the FBI in the summer of 1964
and headed the agency's investigation into the Ku Klux Klan's killings of
the three young men.
"I am pleased that the President has signed this legislation into law to honor the contributions of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and FBI Agent Roy K. Moore," 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a statement. "These men committed their lives to fighting for justice and equality. With the naming of this building, may the memory of their contributions continue to inspire Mississippians for many years to come."
To
comment on this story, call Jerry Mitchell at (601) 961-7064.
