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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 9 december 2017
With Trump, some African Americans to skip Mississippi event

By JEFF AMY brate his presence,” Bryant
Associated Press said. “I think he is going to
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — have a testimonial speech
Many in Mississippi’s Afri- that day and it will be a
can-American community wonderful speech for all of
had waited decades for a Mississippi. People can lay
civil rights museum. But with aside any political position-
President Donald Trump ing or pandering that they
coming to the museum’s may have. This is a day for
opening Saturday, some the president of the United
will skip the eagerly antici- States to come and honor
pated opening. Mississippi and that’s what
They say Trump’s policies he intends to do, and I in-
are incompatible with hon- tend to be there with him
oring the African-American when he does that.”
freedom struggle. Some African Americans,
That slide into racial and although opposed to
partisan strife from what Trump, still intend to go. The
was supposed to be a Rev. C.J. Rhodes, a promi-
moment of unity and nent clergyman and son of
atonement was punctu- one of the state’s top vot-
ated Thursday with U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., speaks in Atlanta. Lewis announced this week that he won’t speak at ing rights lawyers, said he’d
Rep John Lewis saying he the opening of Mississippi civil rights and history museums on Saturday, saying it’s an “insult” that still go. He said Trump shar-
would abandon his plans President Donald Trump will attend. ing the day is part of Missis-
to speak, saying Trump’s (AP Photo/David Goldman) sippi’s “complicated, com-
presence was an insult. U.S. things are all right, that and Thompson won’t join Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, plex, conflicted narrative.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson, we’re getting along, was the president in honoring a big supporter of Trump “My stance in being pres-
Mississippi’s only Democrat absolutely the wrong mes- the “incredible sacrifice who invited the president, is ent is saying we are here
in Congress, announced sage,” Thompson told The civil rights leaders made to urging Mississippians to em- in Mississippi and we are
his exit in a joint statement Associated Press in a tele- right the injustices in our his- brace the visit, a rare presi- not going away,” Rhodes
with Lewis. The NAACP, led phone interview, saying he tory.” dential trip to Mississippi not said, although he said he’d
by a Mississippian, has said views Trump’s agenda as The White House said linked to a disaster. He told draw the line at taking a
Trump should cancel his too destructive to paper Trump hopes others will join reporters Wednesday that picture with Trump or Bry-
planned appearance be- over differences, even for him in recognizing “that the Trump’s presence will bring ant.
cause of his divisive record just an hour or two. movement was about re- worldwide attention and But some plan protests and
on civil rights issues. The White House later is- moving barriers and unify- give the museums a big others continue to bail out,
“To come and somehow sued a statement calling ing Americans of all back- boost. including current elected
give the impression that it “unfortunate” that Lewis grounds.” “We are going to cele- Democrats and veterans of
the civil rights movement.
Former Democratic Gov.
Ray Mabus, most recently
the Secretary of Navy, also
announced Thursday he
wouldn’t attend, calling
Trump an “overt racist.”
“Donald Trump represents
the exact opposite of what
this museum is about —
honoring the heroes who
fought for, and often died
for, the idea of equality of
all,” Mabus said in a state-
ment. “Donald Trump’s
words and deeds show
he would not stand with
people like Medgar Evers,
Fannie Lou Hamer, James
Chaney, Andrew Good-
man, Michael Schwerner
and so many, many more.”
Lewis, a civil rights icon
and Georgia Democrat,
was arrested in Jackson in
1961 with Freedom Riders
who were protesting seg-
regated bus travel. He was
held at the infamous Mis-
sissippi State Penitentiary
at Parchman. Later, as the
head of the Student Non-
violent Coordinating Com-
mittee, Lewis helped.q