Canton Freedom House

In 1963, George and Rembert Washington – respected business owners in Canton, Mississippi – made a courageous choice. They opened their rental home at 838 George Washington Avenue to George Raymond, a young CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) organizer and Freedom Rider, providing him a safe place to live and work. That house would soon become known as the Canton Freedom House.

What started as a place to sleep quickly became much more. The Freedom House evolved into the local headquarters for the Civil Rights Movement in Madison County, a vital hub for strategy, organizing, printing, and gathering. Civil rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Meredith, and Ann Moody passed through its doors. The Washingtons’ support came at great cost: segregationists cut off supplies to their grocery store, removed gas pumps, and even attempted to bomb the house. Still, they remained steadfast.

Today, the Canton Freedom House is the last standing Freedom House in Mississippi used by CORE. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Glen Cotton, grandson of the Washingtons, the house has been restored and now operates as the Canton Freedom House Civil Rights Museum. Visitors will find photographs, letters, articles, and powerful artifacts from the movement, each room telling a story of bravery, sacrifice, and hope. A payphone installed in 1963 still stands, a silent witness to the communication that kept the movement alive.

Guided tours are available by appointment, and admission is free. Donations help support the continued preservation of this historic site.