Mississippi Freedom Trail Marker
M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge
Jackson, Mississippi
Unveiling and Dedication: June 4, 2023
Location: 1072 John R. Lynch St, Jackson, MS.
The M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge has longed served as an important meeting place for civil rights activities especially in the turbulent 1960s. Nonviolent training workshops were held here and on June 15, 1963, an overflow crowd of mourners gathered here for the funeral of NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers who was assasinated three days earlier.
However, it was on April 24, 1964, that the Masonic Temple helped launch an organization that would change Democracy forever.
It was in front of the lodge that activists Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Rev. Edwin King and others founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP).
In the film, Fannie Lou Hamer’s America, Hamer talks about how the MFDP was formed in front of the M.W. Stringer Lodge (Masonic Temple).
Fannie Lou Hamer explains how the M.F.D.P came to be:
“The reason we have a Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, we wasn't allowed to participate with the regular Democratic Party in Mississippi. When we went to visit the precinct meeting in Ruleville it was eight of us, eight Negros. And we went up to this polling place where they would hold precinct meetings and they had this place closed. It was locked up, so we stood at the nearest place which was right down by the steps on the lawn and we held our own precinct meeting. We elected our chairman, our secretary, our delegates, and our alternates, and we passed the law to resolution. And we moved from the precinct level up to the state. Then on the 24th of April, 24th or 6th of April 1964, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was organized at the Masonic Temple in Jackson, Mississippi.”
The MFDP held their convention at the Masonic Temple on August 6, 1964, which resulted in a 68-person delegation including Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Rev. Edwin King, Unita Blackwell, Ella Baker and Dr. Leslie McLemore being chosen to represent Mississippi at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey later that month on August 22. It was there that Hamer made her historic and impassioned speech before the Credentials Committee. (Photo above left, Hamer speaking at the MFDP convention at the Masonic Lodge. Photo by Doris Derby) (Listen to Hamer’s entire speech before the Credentials Committee).
Dr. Leslie McLemore (below right - fifth from left), who was a member of that delegation, attended the Marker unveiling with John Spann (r) of the Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC) and several members of the Masonic Lodge. Photos by the Jackson Advocate.