DISCLAIMER: The Melikian Collection does not endorse or support the view or activities of the terrorist, white supremacist, hate group known as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) or Byron De La Beckwith. Items presented here are for historical purposes only.

An archive of artifacts from Byron De La Beckwith (1920-2001), an American white supremacist and Klansman who was convicted of killing civil rights leader Medgar Evers. During the 1960s, the Klan was involved in numerous acts of violence and terrorism. The assassination of Medgar Evers, on June 12, 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi, was another episode in the Klan’s violent campaign against racial integration and civil rights for African-Americans. De La Beckwith was twice tried for murder in 1964. Both trials ended in mistrials with the all-white jury unable to reach a verdict. In the second trial, former Governor Ross Barnett interrupted the proceedings—while Myrlie Evers was testifying—to shake hands with Beckwith. A third trial in 1994, before a jury of eight black and four white jurors, ended with Beckwith being convicted of first-degree murder, for killing Medgar Evers. The conviction was based on new evidence proving that he had boasted of the murder at a Klan rally and to others over the three decades after the crime. The physical evidence was essentially the same as was used during the first two trials. The guilty verdict was subsequently appealed, but the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld the conviction in 1997. The court said the 31-year lapse between the murder and De La Beckwith’s conviction did not deny him a fair trial. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder.In the first notebook is the provenance, being a February 22, 1992 letter signed by Byron De La Beckwith Junior [“DeLa Jr’] to Mr. Mitchell in part “I am writing to thank you for your purchase of my father’s suit and some of his papers. I hope these items will be useful to you and someday beneficial to you in many ways.” The notebook contains hundreds of pages of documents and letters for the period 1994-97 after Beckwith’s conviction. Included, is a copy Beckwith’s seven page will, 1987, bequething to his wife Thelma and his son Byron. In addition to this legal document, there are several legal documents concerning Beckwith’s appeal while he was incarcerated at Hinds County Detention Center. In one appeal, Beckwith notes that he has had a heartattack and was hospitalized for eight days. In another, The State Archives forwards a copy of the original 1964 trial jurors. There are several “Confidential letters” from his attorneys advising him and updating him on the legal process. Perhaps of most interest are the dozens of letters of support for Beckwith. Most of these letters will reference the persecution of Beckwith by liberals, the FBI, the Jews or others and often on white supremacy letterhead. Many of the these items have margin notes and comments in Beckwith’s hand.The second notebook is primarily composed of a number of white supremacy periodicals and articles However, there are 18 pages in Beckwith’s hand, much of it in biographical form. For example, “Today as of yesteryears the South – again – the Confederacy – needs more of what it had and I see it returning.” Also, more attorney communications with Beckwith’s notations.Beckwith’s two-piece suit, blue striped seersucker, his white shirt and several ties. Note, this suit is mentioned in the provenance letter, and independent from the consigner, we were able to find a digital photo of Beckwith at his third trial wearing this exact suit.This archive represents the First Assassin of a Civil Rights leader in the chaotic 1960’s Civil Rights movement. Of course, the assassination of Malcom X and Martin Luther King would follow.