FLOWOOD, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The man who shared a jail cell with reputed Ku Klux Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen is now preaching racial reconciliation.
James Stern, founder of Mississippi Racial Reconciliation, was a cellmate of Killen's at Parchman. While there, Killen wrote letters to Stern confessing to 32 murders during the civil rights movement in Mississippi, including the deaths of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.
Tuesday night, Stern was the featured speaker for an event sponsored by the Central Mississippi Tea Party at the Flowood Municipal Building.
Stern says he supports the Tea Party theme of uniting Christian citizens of all colors and ethnic backgrounds and restoring religious freedoms and conservative values in government.
"Oh we are just looking forward to continue bridging the gap between the racial divisions that are between black and white people and adjusting some of the misunderstandings and just growing closer as a people, God's people. It is only one race in the world, that's the human race," said Stern.
Stern told the group the rest of the world is not fully aware of the progress that has been made in Mississippi. He also said it's important to pray and work together to improve race relations in this country.
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