Leaders of a group called Coalition for Change are hoping to get 10,000 signatures on a petition to erect a civil rights monument in northern Mississippi’s Lee County.

During a county board meeting last week, Supervisor Tommy Lee Ivy made a motion to build a monument on the courthouse lawn. But none of the other supervisors backed him, and no action was taken.

Coalition for Change member James Hull says he’s not giving up.

“It’s important for Lee County officials to recognize there should be a civil rights monument here,” Hull told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.

Coalition President Calvin Braddock said the people of Lee County deserve to know why the board didn’t take action.

“We were denied without cause,” Braddock said. “We should be able to get a monument because a lot of people in this area were involved in the civil rights movement. But we need all people to get behind this thing, all races. Because this is not going to work without everyone making their voices heard.”

Hull said the group isn’t backing down.

“When we walked out of that board meeting, the last thing we said was that we will be back,” Hull said. “We are not going away. No is not an option. We are not stopping until we get a civil rights monument on the Lee County Courthouse lawn.”