Have No Fear: The Charles Evers Story

by Charles Evers, Andrew Szanton

A moving and dramatic coming-of-age memoir of Charles Evers, one of the most colorful civil rights pioneers and brother of Medgar Evers, slain hero of the Movement. Evers led a biracial coalition which unseated an all-white Mississippi delegation at the 1968 Democratic Convention and was the first African American to run for governor of Mississippi and to be elected mayor in that state since reconstruction. His story is riveting and, working with a gifted collaborator, he has created a strong sense of time and place. Reveals new information about the Kennedys, especially Bobby who was a very close friend, and offers an up close perspective on Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders.

362 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 1996

Reviews

[Adamdaigle]

This was the first time I've ever read a book and wanted to reach out to an author to thank them for sharing their story. Intense from beginning to end. Racism is a real cancer on our society.

[Bonni McKeown]

Charles Evers was the bigger, badder, older brother of Medgar, the Mississippi civil rights leader assassinated in 1963. Medgar lost his life trying to win the right to vote; Charles actually got Black people elected to office and wheeled and dealt with presidents.

This autobiography, published 23 years before Charles's death in 2020,' tackles the complicated question of how American politics has functioned since the loss of so many courageous leaders in the 1960s. Sticking to his own viewpoint, Evers and his co-writer Szanton leave us free to debate his life choices. They're not trying to be objective—if such a thing exists.

Born in 1922, Charles Evers served in World War II and attended college at Alcorn, where he got into trouble with the administration for getting three women pregnant. He did marry one, Nan, but they later divorced. Always ducking assassins, he was afraid to get too close to his family. Activists, whether they live long or short, have to pay a price for trying to change society.

In Philadelphia, MS, Evers started several businesses: a funeral parlor, burial insurance, a cafe, taxi service—and bootlegging liquor. With his brother he worked for the NAACP, agreeing with Martin Luther King that the civil rights movement should push forward not just with lawsuits, but with boycotts. He believed in economic power for Black people.

The White Citizens Council drove Charles out of town in the 1950s, and he moved to Chicago where he made even more money operating nightclubs and in underworld activities running prostitution and numbers.

When Medgar was killed in 1963, Charles felt guilty having left his brother alone. He determined to come home, bringing money with him to strengthen the civil rights movement. He took control of the Mississippi NAACP and kept pushing for Black people to register and vote. He established hmself as Mayor of Fayette, MS from 1969-1989 and collared infrastructure money for the town while acting tough on crime.

A fervent supporter of Kennedy and Johnson and close friend of Robert Kennedy, Evers became fed up with liberal Democrats' shallow understanding of racism, and wanted Black people to have solid jobs rather than depend on government programs. He pursued local politics as an independent and then joined the Republican party in 1980, talking Ronald Reagan into supporting some of his ideas. When segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace was convalescing and isolated, Evers made a point of visiting him and by the end of his life, Wallace had moderated much of his racism.

Evers continued his public presence into old age, including his radio show and his annual celebration of his brother's life joined by bluesman B.B. King. He supported Barack Obama but endorsed Trump and his business approach to politics. Like many politicians, he relates strongly to personalities, and tells you exactly who were his helpers and who were his obstacles.

This book is real life. Agree with Evers' actions and opinions or not, here was a man who fearlessly tried to make a better life for himself, his fellow Black people, and his Mississippi neighbors, all colors.

[Belles]

Excellent story from a man who lived his life his way and politics and life for many African Americans.

[Gladys Schrynemakers]

Rough around the edges, but Charles Evers' description of his brother's death is heart stopping. His retelling of the fateful night Robert Kennedy was assassinated is equally as heart stopping.