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FERRIDAY, La. — Frank Morris was 51 years old when Klansmen torched his shoe shop in Ferriday on December 10, 1964.

For the first time in 60 years, long after the investigation into his murder has closed with no arrests, Ferriday will commemorate his life during a program on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Morris died four days after Klansmen torched his shoe shop late at night while he was still in the building. His grandson, Nathaniel, and full-time employee, Johnny Griffin, were in a small house a few feet behind the shoe shop but escaped the flames.

This event will mark the 60th anniversary of Morris’ death and the first time the town has commemorated Morris, one of the leading Black businessmen in Ferriday at the time of his death. The program begins at approximately 2 p.m. on Dec. 14 with a wreath-laying at the site where the shoe shop once stood at 417 E.E. Wallace Boulevard.

The son of a shoe repairman, he had both a Black and white clientele and operated Frank’s Shoe Service for approximately three decades.

The FBI launched investigations into his murder in 1964 and in 2007 without making any arrests. A Concordia Parish grand jury convened in 2011 to investigate the matter but no action was taken and the case has since been closed.

As Morris’ life is being honored this Saturday, Pastor Danny “Tron” Lewis, Senior Pastor/Teacher of the Mercy Seat Baptist Church, Ferriday, LA.  where Morris had served as usher prior to his death, will give the Invocation.

Ferriday Mayor Alvin Garrison & Alderwoman Gail Pryor “District C” will present the Morris family with a proclamation honoring Morris while Clarence Hymon, former Ferriday Alderman, Long time Education and Friend of Morris’s Family will give remarks as well.

The program will then relocate to the Delta Music Museum beginning at 3 p.m.

Deborah Elaine Jones, Community Activist will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies while Bishop Justin Conner Sr., acting President of the Greater Concordia-Catahoula Branch NAACP, will give opening remarks followed by the invocation.

Music performances will be provided by Dorothy Oliver Lawrence and saxophonist Ronnie Reese Jr. with a special performance by the Spiritual Dancers and Miss-Area musicians.

Former Concordia Sentinel Editor Stanley Nelson, who works with the LSU Cold Case Project, will give a slide presentation: “The Life of Frank Morris.”

That will be followed by a presentation – “No Longer Forgotten: Frank Morris & the Emmett Till Act.” This portion of the program will be led by Paula Johnson, Director of the Syracuse College of Law Cold Case Initiative, and will feature Morris’ great-granddaughter Darlene Newbill. Morris’ granddaughter, Rosa Morris Williams, is also expected to be present for the program.

Both Johnson of Syracuse and Nelson, while editor of the Concordia Sentinel, began jointly investigating the Morris murder in 2007 and continue to investigate Civil Rights-era cold case murders.

Jessica Ingram, the author of “Road Through Midnight: A Civil Rights Memorial,” will follow with a presentation entitled, “Remembering Frank Morris.”

Clarence Hymon and Josephine Webster, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, will deliver closing remarks.

A reception will follow from 5 to 6 p.m. at the museum.