President Donald Trump participated in a private event, rather than the public one, after his upcoming attendance at the opening of Mississippi’s Civil Rights Museum sparked controversy.
Many noteworthy civil rights leaders had decided to boycott the event, and local groups planned to protest when it was announced that Trump had accepted an invitation to the opening, according to NBC.
Instead, the White House worked with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to have Trump tour the museum and speak at a private ceremony, after which the public ceremony would be held.
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“I think this was a diplomatic effort that will help solve this issue,” Former Mississippi congressman Mike Espy told NBC.
Trump spoke at the private ceremony Saturday morning about what the museum means for the country and how it records history.
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“These buildings embody the hope that has lived in the hearts of every American for generations,” Trump said. “The hope in a future that is more just and more free.”
Many of the museum workers were not aware that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant had extended an invitation to Trump.
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“The fact that the governor of Mississippi invited him was sort of a surprise to us on the committee,” Espy said. “We didn’t find out that the president had agreed to come until two or three days ago.”
After the announcement, speakers and other attendees dropped out of the event due to their belief that Trump stands in opposition to what the museum represents, NBC reported.
Civil rights leaders and Democrat Congressmen John Lewis and Bennie Thompson said they would boycott the opening because of Trump’s participation.
“President Trump’s attendance and his hurtful policies are an insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum,” they said in a joint statement.
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White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded, “We think it’s unfortunate that these members of Congress wouldn’t join the president in honoring the incredible sacrifice civil rights leaders made to right the injustices in our history.”
According to NBC, Myrlie Evers-Williams, a civil rights activist and wife of activist Medgar Evers until his assassination, still planned to attend the event, but not the private ceremony.
Despite the efforts of the White House and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to please everyone, about 100 demonstrators stood a few blocks away to protest Trump’s presence.
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