His family released a statement saying that “the world lost a fearless Civil Rights Leader this morning.” “… Charles Evers’ life mission was to continue the work of his brother, who was assassinated in June 1963. Charles Evers, an Independent candidate, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1971, and for U.S. Senate 1978. Born in Decatur, he was a World War II Army vet and became an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s. He was Fayette’s mayor for two decades. In recent years, Evers was a Republican but he supported President Barack Obama. He supported President Donald Trump, and was part the welcoming committee that welcomed Trump to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum’s opening. Gov. Gov.