Trump will not speak publicly at opening of Mississippi’s Civil Rights Museum

President Donald Trump will participate in a separate private event at the new Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Mississippi, on Saturday morning, rather than in the public ceremony. The decision came after the president’s plan to attend the opening erupted into controversy.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the White House agreed to have a separate event after a series of noteworthy civil rights leaders and speakers decided to boycott the event and local groups planned to protest.

Trump will tour the museum and speak at a private program in the morning, and the public ceremony will begin afterward.

"I think this was a diplomatic effort that will help solve this issue," said Mike Espy, a former Mississippi congressman and secretary of agriculture who served since the early 2000s on the state’s committee to establish the museum.

[SOURCE: NBC NEWS]

Bennie Thompson and John Lewis Will Not Attend Mississippi Museums' Opening

U.S. Representatives Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., and John Lewis, D-Ga., will not attend the grand opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in protest of Donald Trump making an appearance at the ceremonies. The two released the following joint press release:

“After careful consideration and conversations with church leaders, elected officials, civil right activists and many citizens of our congressional districts, we have decided not to attend or participate in the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.

“President Trump’s attendance and his hurtful policies are an insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum. The struggles represented in this museum exemplify the truth of what really happened in Mississippi. President Trump’s disparaging comments about women, the disabled, immigrants and National Football League players disrespect the efforts of Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Medgar Evers, Robert Clark, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and countless others who have given their all for Mississippi to be a better place.

“After President Trump departs, we encourage all Mississippians and Americans to visit this historic civil rights museum.”

Civil rights museum denies Trump visit requests

A civil rights museum in Greensboro, N.C., rejected a request to visit from Donald Trump's campaign.

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum declined to have the Republican presidential nominee visit because of the campaign's list of demands, reports WFMY News 2. "We did not honor the request of the Donald Trump team because we thought they demonstrated, in their approach was disrespectful, so therefore we did not grant that request," said Early Jones, co-founder of the museum.

Jones called the campaign aggressive and rude to museum staff.

The campaign also asked for the museum to be closed for at least five hours to accommodate Trump, she said.

Jones said the museum does not provide special treatment to anyone.

[SOURCE]