Ealy Salutes Civil Rights Pioneer During Law Day Address

Effingham attorney Scott Ealy has been passionate about civil rights for all of his adult life.  Ealy tried to share of that passion Thursday with the Effingham County high school students who participated in 2014 Law Day activities.

The chief assistant state's attorney for the county, Ealy lived and went to school in Mississippi for several years and that's where he was exposed to the struggles of black Americans in the South to gain the basic rights afforded to whites since the adoption of the Constitution.  He also became aware of the life of Medgar Evers, who campaigned quietly but tirelessly for civil rights until his assassination in 1964.

(EFFINGHAM COUNTY CHIEF ASSISTANT STATE'S ATTORNEY SCOTT EALY)

Ealy's presentation focused on Evers, both his life and his death, and tried to show the young people present that the rights we take for granted have been hard-earned by many other Americans.  He also asked local attorney Tony Siemer to speak.  Siemer traveled to the South while attending law school at Notre Dame University in the late 1960s and got to see first-hand the integration process, working as an observer to make sure implementation of equal rights was being accomplished.

(LOCAL ATTORNEY TONY SIEMER)

Ealy's presentation concluded with President Lyndon Johnson's signing into law of the Civil Rights Bill, and noted the signing took place on July 2, Medgar Evers' birthday.