Giving voice to an all-too-often overlooked past

Jerry Mitchell is a hero. I stumbled upon his blog--Journey to Justice--during my daily news binge. For over 20 years, investigative reporter Mitchell has dedicated his career to Civil Rights coverage both past and present. He has helped solve cold case murders, assassinations and other high-profile cases like the Birmingham, Ala. church bombing of 1963. As part of Mississippi's Clarion Ledger, Mitchell's blog critiques current issues in the news, from hate crimes against white supremacists to calls for an end to the "N word."

In addition to Journey to Justice, Mitchell contributes to HistoryBeat.com's Civil Rights in America: Connections to a Movement. This site includes past coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, black history records and stories of Civil Rights heroes.

Two pages on this website stand out among the rest: The "Investigations" page pinpoints on a map Civil Rights cases that have yet to be solved. A list of names of those killed in these cold cases accompanies the map. It's easy to look at this list coldly or at least impersonally, without thinking about the impact an unsolved case would have on those who lost someone dear to them. I must admit I tried to do this, until I arrived at the "Share Stories" tab.

This page is a user-generated forum for people to share Civil Rights stories, experiences of racism today or memories of loved ones. The first comment I saw was that of a woman who posted a photo of her mother's gravestone in Alabama (see above). Her mother was murdered after fighting for her right to vote, says the headstone. The post below the photo, by the same woman, details the night her mother died. The author was six years old.

Stories like this cannot come from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and star-status newscasters. These raw, heart-wrenching stories are swords only to be wielded by the victims themselves. Lest we doubt the power of new media formats, take a look at the "Share Stories" page and you will be assured of their power and impact.

Taken together, Journey to Justice and Civil Rights in America help keep the Civil Rights Movement alive. Intertwining history with current issues, both Mitchell and HistoryBeat.com refuse to let racial justice fade into our past. With so many murders unsolved and families broken by racism, we owe it to those who can never forget.

Photo Credit: Sally_Liuzzo992