Fighting for My Country: A Graphic Novel Tribute to Medgar and Myrlie Evers

An urgent call to remember, retell, and reclaim a legacy.

He survived the beaches of Normandy only to be killed in his own driveway in Mississippi.

Medgar Evers—a World War II veteran, NAACP field secretary, and towering figure in the Civil Rights Movement—stood on the front lines of America’s reckoning with race and justice. Alongside him was his wife, Myrlie Evers, a strategist, partner, and relentless voice for change whose work extended far beyond Medgar’s assassination in 1963.

Together, they shaped a movement. Together, they endured sacrifice. Together, they deserve to be remembered.

Fighting for My Country is a graphic novel that tells their story with the emotional clarity and bold visual style of March, the landmark trilogy chronicling the life of Congressman John Lewis. Written by Jerry Mitchell, the Pulitzer-nominated investigative journalist whose reporting led to the conviction of Medgar’s murderer decades later, and illustrated by Rick Gibson, a Los Angeles-based artist and longtime friend of Mitchell, the project adapts Jerry’s original narrative, Turning Point, for the graphic novel form.

Jerry is crafting the story with powerful narration and historically rooted dialogue. Rick is developing the full storyboard and producing several finished illustrations for the formal publication proposal. The Evers family has embraced the project, encouraging its creation as part of the 100th birthday celebration of Medgar Evers in June 2025.

This work has taken on fresh urgency. Despite his undeniable impact on American history, Medgar’s designation as a Civil Rights leader has recently been removed from the website of Arlington National Cemetery, where he is buried with honor. In an era when historical memory is increasingly contested, Fighting for My Country aims to restore and reaffirm the place Medgar and Myrlie Evers hold in the American story.

The first stage of this project is a professionally prepared publishing prospectus to present to major houses. We have been advised by leaders in the industry that this is a story too large, too important, to self-publish.

The graphic novel will be formally announced at the centennial celebration, where a commemorative cover poster—designed by Rick Gibson—will be unveiled.

Target Audience

Help Us Bring Fighting for My Country to Life

A story too important to be forgotten.

To secure a major publisher and bring this story to young readers across the country, we are producing a professionally crafted publication prospectus—including a full visual storyboard, sample illustrations, and narrative excerpts. We’re also designing and printing a commemorative poster to be unveiled at the national celebration of Medgar’s centennial in June 2025.

SEE THE COMMEMORATIVE POSTER

To meet these goals and deliver on time, illustrator Rick Gibson is raising $25,000 to support the production process. This is not a nonprofit fundraiser, and no royalties or financial returns are being offered. The only return on investment is the knowledge that you helped make sure this story is told—and that a new generation will know the name Medgar and Myrlie Evers and understand what they stood for.

This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a legacy. It’s a reminder. And it’s a call to action.

Join us. Help bring Fighting for My Country to life—and into the hands of young people who need to know this story. While we ask that you give what you can, all contributors will be invited to regular live project updates and presentations by Rick Gibson and Jerry Mitchell via Zoom. You will see the story come to life in real time. Our hope is that you will see yourself as a vital participant in the creation of this story.

Thank you for your consideration.

Meet the Creative Team

About Jerry Mitchell

Jerry Mitchell is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist for investigative journalism whose courageous reporting helped reopen and solve some of the most infamous Civil Rights cold cases—including the assassination of Medgar Evers in 1963. It was Jerry’s relentless pursuit of truth that led to the third trial and ultimate conviction of Byron De La Beckwith, more than three decades after the murder.

Jerry is the author of the acclaimed book Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era, a powerful and personal account of his efforts to expose long-buried injustices. The book was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and NPR picked it as a Best Book of the Year. Jerry himself has been honored with over 30 national awards, including a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, the George Polk Award, the Sidney Hillman Prize, and Columbia University’s John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism.

His deep personal connection to the story of Medgar and Myrlie Evers led him to write Turning Point, a narrative centered on their lives, courage, and enduring legacy. That work now serves as the foundation for the graphic novel Fighting for My Country, created in collaboration with illustrator Rick Gibson. A close friend of the Evers family, Jerry brings both historical depth and emotional authenticity to this important project—ensuring that the next generation knows their names and what they stood for.

About Rick Gibson

Rick Gibson is a Los Angeles-based illustrator, storyteller, and brand strategist with a passion for visual narratives that move people and make meaning. A trained visual artist and co-creator of the comic strip Brenton, Rick brings both creative depth and strategic insight to his work—skills honed over a 27-year career as a senior marketing executive in higher education.

Rick specializes in developing brand stories that focus and animate organizations and the communities they serve. Whether working in pen and ink, watercolor, acrylics, or digital media, he approaches each project with a storyteller’s eye and a deep belief in the power of stories to inspire action.

A longtime fan of graphic novels, Rick has observed the medium’s evolution as it moves into digital platforms—offering new possibilities for immersive, audio-enhanced storytelling. That vision was the spark behind Fighting for My Country.

Rick is now creating the full storyboard and illustrations for Fighting for My Country, a graphic novel that brings to life the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of Medgar and Myrlie Evers. For Rick, this is more than a creative endeavor—it’s a calling to help preserve and pass on a story that must not be forgotten.



Early Sketches