Police arrested the 3 men for speeding and then were released after posting bond. They were not seen after that. The three had last been seen heading southeast on highway 19 and then the remains of their station wagon were found on Highway 21 northeast of Philadelphia. It was in a marshy area about 50 feet off the road and gutted by a fire.
Their bodies were finally found in a wooded area on August 4th, 1964. They were never seen again after their arrest until their bodies were found dead and brutalized and murdered at the hand of evil individuals. The FBI arrested 21 white men on December 4, 1964. Those arrested were considered innocent until proven guilty.
Finally, on June 21, 1989, the families of the 3 slain civil rights workers were finally given an apology for what happened 25 years. They became household names and finding who did it became an obsession. A former leader of the KKK was finally arrested and charged with the manslaughter of the 3 men.
As Obama states, "Here today inspired by their sacrifice we continue to fight for equality and justice in which they gave their lives."
I found it interesting that it took the murderers 25 years to apologize to the victims' families. That would be like Al-Qaeda apologizing for 9/11 in 7 years. I wonder how the families reacted to this apology.
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