Exclusive interview with Myrlie Evers-Williams

The official retiring of the state flag is drawing plenty of reaction from Missippians who have fought long and hard for equality in this state.

SHE HAS FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE OFTHE PAINOF RACISM, AND WHITE SUPREMACYHERE INMISSISSIPPI...HER HUSBAND LOST HIS LIFE TO ANASSASIN'SBULLET WHILE FIGHTING FOREQUALITY...SHE DEVOTED HER LIVE TO THESAME, AND TELLSME SHE IS OVERJOYED AT THISMOMENT... HIS WINGS WOULD BE FLAPPING INJOYCIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MYRLIEEVERS-WILLIAMSSAYS THAT WOULD BE THE REACTIONHERHUSBAND MEDGAR WOULD HAVE, TOMISSISSIPPI'S NOW FORMER FLAGBEINGRELEGATED TO HISTORY...IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SYMBOLOF...RACIAL AH, HATRED.

AND IKNOW THAT'S A PRETTY STRONGWORD, BUT I WILL USE IT HEREEVERS-WILLIAMS SAYS IF MEDGARHAD LIVED, HEWOULD'VE PUSHED TO RETIRE THEFLAG...THIS MOMENT IS EMOTIONAL FORHER...I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SEETHAT HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME.

IWASOVERWHELMED BY THE NEWS.

ALL ICOULD DO WAS WEEPMYRLIE EVERS-WILLIAMS IS 85YEARS OLD, AND ANATIVE OF VICKSBURG...I ASKED HER WHAT SHOULD THE NEXTFLAGLOOK LIKE?THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, IN ASTATE, S-T-A-T-E OF SOLIDARITY.IT'SABOUT TIME, IT'S LONG OVERDUETHE FLAG COMES DOWN, AS AMERICARECONS WITH IT'S DIFFICULTHISTORY... THERE IS A RENEWEDCALL FOR CHANGE THATIS BEING LED BY YOUNG PEOPLE...EVERS-WILLIAMS SAYS THAT'SEXACTLY WHATMEDGAR WOULD HAVE WANTED...RIGHT ON!RIGHT ON!

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!BUTT THESE SOTS TOGETHERLET YOUR SIGNS SHOW WHAT YOUFEELSHE ALSO ENCOURAGES THE YOUTH TOTAKE THATENERGY TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER,AND VOTE...MEDGAR EVERS WOULD HAVE BEEN 95YEARS OLD THURSDAY...HAD HE NOTBEEN CUT DOWN BY ANASSASSIN'S BULLET HERE INJACKSON IN 1963...MYRLIE SAYS HE HAD A VISON FORTHISCOUNTRY...AND WAS WILLING TO PUTHIS LIFEON THE LINE TO SEE IT THROUGH...THE MAN LIVES IN MY HEART, ANDIN MY MEMORY EVERYDAY OF MYLIFE.

I THINK MEDGAR WOULDJUST BE SO PROUD...I KNOW HE ISPROUD OF WHAT IS HAPPENING INTHE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

ANDYOU KNOW WHAT?

I CAN'T BELIEVEI'MSAYING THIS...BUT SO AM IPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOKHARD AT WHERE WE ARE IN THISCOUNTRY ON THEISSUE OF RACE...DO WE MOVE FORWARD, OR BACKWARD?SHE SAYS SHE BELIEVES AMERICA ISON AFORWARD MOVE, TOWARD JUSTICE ANDEQUALITY...TROY JOHNSON, 16 WAPT NEWS AT10...STAY WITH 16 WAPT FOR THE LATEST