The East Side Freedom Library invites you to a very special event:

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

“Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn me ‘Round”

An Evening with Civil Rights Veteran Hollis Watkins

Thursday, May 10, 

In 1961, at age 19, Hollis Watkins became the first Mississippian to join the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee as a voting-rights activist. He had joined the NAACP youth group at age 17. He stood strong despite threats, even as he spent several stints in jail because of activities including attempting to integrate lunch counters. In 1964, he helped organize the Freedom Summer in Mississippi, and later that year, he traveled to the Democratic National Convention in New Jersey as part of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Hollis’ work did not end in the 1960s. In 1990, he founded Southern Echo which organizes grass-roots action groups across the South, and trains leaders and legislative advocates. Southern Echo aims to make a difference in all areas of public policy–from education to health to juvenile justice to tax reform and more–ensuring accountability for the needs of the black community. Watkins is also a founder and member of the Civil Rights Veterans of Mississippi. He is perhaps best known for his powerful singing voice.

Come prepared to sing!

Free and open to all

East Side Freedom Library, 1105 Greenbrier Street

[email protected] and 651-207-4926