Cold cases
Below are capsule summaries of cases that have been authorized for release by the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board. Clicking on a case will bring you to a more extensive synopsis of that incident, as well as to a link that will take you to the National Archives’ cold cases portal, where the case file may be viewed.
The Board takes into account many factors in determining which cases it wants to examine for potential release. Given its statutory time constraints, the Board is focused on prioritizing cases that are representative of the diverse nature of civil rights cold cases. Currently, the Board is required to terminate its work no later than January, 2027.
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The "Five Atlanta Fishermen" were all friends from Atlanta. They were Lee Roy Holloway, 49; Lonnie Merritt, 49; John Sterling, 46; Marvin Walker, 66; and Robert Walker, 59.
Isaiah Nixon was a 28-year-old farmer in Montgomery County, Georgia. He and his wife, Sallie, had six children. Dover Carter was a 42-year-old farmer in Montgomery County, Georgia. He and his wife, Bessie, had 13 children.
Jessie B. Hightower was a 38-year-old World War II veteran and was employed by Seaboard Air Line Railroad. He and his wife, Annie, lived in Bullock County, Alabama.
Edgar Thomas was a 63-year-old cafe and grocery owner in Union Springs, Alabama. He and his wife, Estelle, had 10 children.
Edgar Brown was a 27-year-old veteran of World War II. He lived in Bolivar County, Mississippi and worked as a farm laborer.
Chrispon Herbert Charles Jr. was a 21-year-old resident of New Orleans and was the son of Chrispon Herbert Charles Sr. and Evelyn Versher Charles.