Jerry Mitchell
Jerry Mitchell is an investigative journalist for The Clarion-Ledger, the local (and Pulitzer-prize winning) newspaper for Jackson, Mississippi. He has been part of the paper since 1989. Despite the paper having a history of pro-segregation, Mitchell has performed ground-breaking work in infiltrating the KKK and helping support civil rights.
Mitchell has been involved in several high-profile cases, and helped put four KKK members that committed atrocious crimes in jail. Mitchell found evidence convicting KKK member Byron De La Beckwith of the murder of Medgar Evers, an NAACP leader. The original trial in 1964 was not successful, in part because the jury was composed entirely of white men. Mitchell found fresh evidence in 1994 that was key to bringing Beckwith to justice. Mitchell also provided evidence that placed Sam Bowers, a KKK Imperial Wizard, in jail for his firebombing of NAACP leader Vernon Dahmer in 1966. His most significant contribution was that of the evidence convicting Bobby Cherry, a KKK member who played a large role in the 1963 church bombing that took the lives of four young African-American girls. Most recently, Mitchell helped put Edgar Ray Killen, the KKK member who killed Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman (civil rights workers) during Freedom Summer, behind bars. Even today, Mitchell is actively involved in collecting evidence against members of the Ku Klux Klan who terrorized African-Americans and civil rights workers in the 60's and 70's.
Mitchell has received over thirty awards for his work, including earning the Ralph McGill Medal for Courage, earning the George Polk award, and being nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. However, his life is hardly glamorous. Mitchell receives countless hate-mail and death threats from both the KKK and from people generally angry with his work. Many complained to the editor of The Clarion-Ledger and some even cancelled their subscription in protest. Fortunately, Jerry Mitchell is continually being protected by the FBI, which is also investigating the death threats, and he is not daunted by his enemies. His most significant accomplishment has been persisting in following up on the unsolved murder cases of the Ku Klux Klan even decades after others have given up.
Mitchell has been involved in several high-profile cases, and helped put four KKK members that committed atrocious crimes in jail. Mitchell found evidence convicting KKK member Byron De La Beckwith of the murder of Medgar Evers, an NAACP leader. The original trial in 1964 was not successful, in part because the jury was composed entirely of white men. Mitchell found fresh evidence in 1994 that was key to bringing Beckwith to justice. Mitchell also provided evidence that placed Sam Bowers, a KKK Imperial Wizard, in jail for his firebombing of NAACP leader Vernon Dahmer in 1966. His most significant contribution was that of the evidence convicting Bobby Cherry, a KKK member who played a large role in the 1963 church bombing that took the lives of four young African-American girls. Most recently, Mitchell helped put Edgar Ray Killen, the KKK member who killed Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman (civil rights workers) during Freedom Summer, behind bars. Even today, Mitchell is actively involved in collecting evidence against members of the Ku Klux Klan who terrorized African-Americans and civil rights workers in the 60's and 70's.
Mitchell has received over thirty awards for his work, including earning the Ralph McGill Medal for Courage, earning the George Polk award, and being nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. However, his life is hardly glamorous. Mitchell receives countless hate-mail and death threats from both the KKK and from people generally angry with his work. Many complained to the editor of The Clarion-Ledger and some even cancelled their subscription in protest. Fortunately, Jerry Mitchell is continually being protected by the FBI, which is also investigating the death threats, and he is not daunted by his enemies. His most significant accomplishment has been persisting in following up on the unsolved murder cases of the Ku Klux Klan even decades after others have given up.