From Countermemory to Collective Memory

Chapter 2 considers how Philadelphia, Mississippi’s long-silenced countermemory becomes “official” collective memory, transforming cultural representation in the public sphere. By comparing two instances of silence breaking, the twenty-fifth and fortieth anniversary commemorations—both interracial community-wide events unique for having punctuated Philadelphia’s prevailing conspiracy of silence on the murders—this chapter argues that commemorability and mnemonic capacity are necessary but insufficient factors for silence breaking commemorations to emerge. The analysis then reveals two additional criteria—external pressure and interest convergence—suggesting that commemorating silenced pasts is arguably more challenging than commemorating merely difficult pasts.