Tour honors civil rights, slain workers COLUMBIA, SC (The State) - Ben Chaney recalls riding in the back seat as his brother, James Earl Chaney, drove the rural roads of Mississippi encouraging black people to register to vote.

He was 11 years old when his 21-year-old brother and two other young civil rights workers were reported missing June 21, 1964. The workers were on their way back to Chaney's hometown of Meridian, Miss., after investigating a fire at a church they had planned to use as a training site for voter registration efforts.

Few people believed they would be found alive except Chaney.

I believed nothing could hurt my brother, said. He was my big brother.

Weeks later, on July 2, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which made discrimination illegal in public places.

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