Mississippi Civil Rights Project

David Cole was the Superintendent of Panola County. His leadership helped reduce racial conflicts.

Ray Middleton was a preacher in Batesville who tried to obtain voting rights before the Civil Rights Movement started.

Leonard Morris was one of the first black graduates from the University of Mississippi in 1971. He worked in stimulating economic development in Batesville.

Martha Tranquilli was a nurse who came to Panola during Freedom Summer in1964 and ended up staying in Mississippi.

Robert Miles provided leadership during the Civil Rights Movement in the city of Batesville. Miles worked with COFO to register black voters. Miles's leadership came with a huge sacrifice of safety.

J. Geoffrey Cowan was a Yale law student who came to Panola as a COFO Volunteer.

Chris Williams was a COFO worker who came down to Panola County after graduating from high school in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Michael Smith was a Berkeley law student who came to Panola as a COFO Volunteer.