U.S. Representative John Boehner
The 50th Anniversary of Freedom Summer

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Boehner (R – West Chester) today released the following statement commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Mississippi Summer Project, also known as Freedom Summer, and recognized the integral role played by the 8th District’s Miami University.

“1964 was a fateful year for the American civil rights movement, and like many other significant moments in our nation’s history, Ohio was at the center of it all. I’m especially proud of the role played by the hundreds of concerned citizens and activists who gathered at Western College for Women, now part of Miami University, to prepare for their work in Mississippi. Those dedicated activists sounded an alarm that would shake the entire country into standing against the violence and injustices that had been ignored for too long. May we forever remember the risks that were taken, and may we never forget the lives that were lost.”

NOTE: For more information on Miami University’s role in Freedom Summer, as well as additional information on the project’s 50th anniversary, visit http://miamioh.edu/celebratingfreedom/.