Leading civil rights figures Dr. Alveda King, Wanda Evers and James Meredith were on hand for the America First Policy Institute Black History Month celebration at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Complex in downtown Jackson on Tuesday. The event was chaired by former Governor Phil Bryant, who is a board member of AFPI.
AFPI Executive Director and Jackson native Chad Wolf was also on hand for the event. Wolf served as Acting Secretary of Homeland Security under President Trump. AFPI is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute focused in America First policies with emphasis on free enterprise and individual liberty.
The capacity event featured a roundtable with Bryant, former NFL great Jack Brewer and Dr. Alveda King that focused on reviving traditional cultural values and the role of faith in leadership and justice.
At the event, awards for the AFPI Medal of Freedom were given to the following recipients:
Mayor George Flaggs Jr.
Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. was sworn in for his third term as mayor of the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 1, 2021. Mayor Flaggs has championed a transparent city government in Vicksburg committed to growth and service at the least cost to the taxpayer. Under Mayor Flaggs’ leadership, taxpayers have seen groundbreaking quality-of-life improvements, the creation of innovative economic development policies, and an unprecedented pro-business environment that will benefit Vicksburg for generations to come.
Wanda Evers
Wanda Evers is the daughter of late Civil Rights leader Charles Evers and niece of Medgar Evers. She is a trailblazer and continues to fight for African Americans in the state of Mississippi.
James Meredith
James Meredith is a political activist, writer, and Air Force veteran who was the first African American student admitted to the previously segregated University of Mississippi “Ole Miss” in 1962. In 1966, James Meredith planned a 220-mile March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee, to right here in Jackson, Mississippi.
Bishop Henry Joseph
Bishop Henry Joseph has a heart for men’s ministry, international missions and Christian business development. He has worked for Promise Keepers Men’s Ministry, worked in inner city Rescue Missions and served on numerous boards in the United States. In 1998, he and his wife founded “Proclaim a Christian” publication based in Mississippi.
Bishop Vincent Matthews
Bishop Matthews established the Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Southaven, Mississippi. In 2015, Bishop Matthews was appointed as the President of the Church of God in Christ World Missions. He has the responsibility to oversee the growth of the work of God in 112 countries worldwide.
Magnolia Tribune
