In the summer of 1964, three civil rights workers, Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner, set out in Neshoba County, Mississippi, as part of a broader effort to register African American voters during the Freedom Summer initiative. This campaign aimed to challenge the systemic disenfranchisement of Black citizens in the South and to promote civil rights. On June 21, after investigating the burning of a Black church, the trio was arrested by local law enforcement. Shortly after their release, they were tracked down and abducted by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Despite an extensive manhunt, the bodies of the three young men were not discovered until August, buried in an earthen dam, leading to nationwide protests and demands for justice.

The ensuing investigation revealed the complicity of local authorities and highlighted the pervasive violence against civil rights activists in the region. The brutal murders, and the circumstances surrounding them, served as a catalyst for the civil rights movement, garnering national attention and drawing Federal involvement. Congress would soon pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, making significant strides toward ending segregation and discrimination based on race.

Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney, each representing a different background—Jewish, White, and Black—embodied the diverse coalition fighting for civil rights. Their story became a symbol of the struggle for equality and justice, and their sacrifices underscored the grave dangers faced by those advocating for change during this turbulent era.