The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute announced the passing of activist Myrna Carter Jackson, who was twice arrested during marches in 1963 while protesting Birmingham’s racial segregation laws. Jackson died on May 31. She was 82. “Born in Birmingham on July 9, 1941, Mrs. Jackson was a pillar of our community, a tireless advocate for human rights, and a beloved friend and mentor to many,” the BCRI said in a joint statement with the NAACP Metro Birmingham Branch and the Civil Rights Activist Committee. At age 21, she became active in marches, sit-ins and demonstrations organized by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, led by the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. She also served on the board of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute from 2010 to 2014, in addition to being an active volunteer who educated groups from all over the world about the civil rights movement. In 2017, Mrs. Jackson helped organize the official designation of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will feature an exhibit in honor of Mrs. Myrna Carter Jackson during its Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 15. The memorial display, including original artwork of Mrs. Jackson, will be on view in the BCRI Rotunda through the end of July. |