Murder in Neshoba County

James Chaney was given a private funeral in Meridian on August 7, 1964. Several of his peers were slated to speak at the service, including Mississippi Project Coordinator for CORE, Dave Dennis. Dennis had a speech prepared but after seeing James Chaney’s brother, Benjamin so upset, he could not bring himself to give a standard eulogy. Instead, he challenged the people in the pews to work harder, to persevere. In the passionate speech, Dennis said what he knew many felt: "I’m tired of funerals. I’m tired of it! We’ve got to stand up!"

Pictured: A black and white photograph of Dave Dennis at James Chaney’s funeral

Credit: TakeStock/The Image Works/TopFoto