George Lee

On May 7, 1955, at about 11:45 p.m., Reverend George Lee, an African-American minister active in voter registration drives, was shot and fatally wounded in the face, while driving on Church Street in Belzoni, Mississippi.  As a result of the shooting, the victim crashed his car into the house of neighborhood resident XXXXXXXX.  Following the crash, the victim exited his car, and a taxi that was driving by stopped to assist Lee and transported him to a nearby hospital where, upon arrival, staff determined that he was deceased.  Eyewitnesses on Church Street indicated that the shooters were traveling in a convertible that was initially following the victim’s car and then passed it on the right side and sped away.  The majority of the witnesses stated that they heard two shots, and a few heard three shots.