WEST PALM BEACH: President Donald Trump plans to celebrate heroes of the civil rights movement during a visit to Mississippi, but at least one leader of that era plans to be a no-show. Other activists plan protests, citing what they say is Trump’s sowing of racial division instead of racial harmony. Trump was visiting Jackson, Mississippi, on Saturday at the invitation of Gov. Phil Bryant for the state’s bicentennial and opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. But Georgia Rep. John Lewis, a leader of the civil rights movement, says he’ll no longer speak at or attend the event. Lewis, who was among scores of Democratic lawmakers who did not attend Trump’s inauguration in January to protest his record on race, said Trump’s presence Saturday is an insult. The White House accused Lewis and others of injecting politics into a moment it said could be used to bring people together. “It’s a little unfortunate that a moment like this, that could be used for unification and bringing people together, some folks are choosing to play politics with it,” said White House spokesman Raj Shah. “But that’s not going to deter us from honoring heroes in the civil rights movement,” which he said include Lewis. Published in Daily Times, December 10th 2017.