The history of the civil rights movement in Meridian hit the national airwaves Wednesday afternoon.

Roscoe Jones, the founder of Freedom '64 spoke about the organization with CNN from WTOK studios.

Jones played a big role in the civil rights movement in Meridian. That movement included the freedom schools that helped African-Americans become more involved in working for equality.

Nearly 50 years later, Jones is out to bring the message of that movement to Mississippians, and all Americans, in the coming years.

"When you read something, you read [about] Philadelphia, but not Meridian," says Jones, "and in Meridian was where the office was set up, the old COFO building."

COFO stands for the Council of Federated Organizations, a group designed to fight for civil rights using the resources of four different groups, including the NAACP.

One of Jones' goals is to renovate the building on 5th Street that housed COFO headquarters, and he has gained local and statewide support.

Freedom '64 is even working with a branch of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at Ole Miss as they look to gather an oral history of the statewide civil rights movement.

"Freedom '64 is the progressive community group here in Meridian/Lauderdale County to push the Truth Project forward," said project head Rhondalyn Peairs, "and it integrates itself well with the commemoration of the Freedom Summer they are trying to do in 2014, and the historic preservation of the Fielder-Brooks building."

With his appearance on national television Wednesday, Jones said he hopes the momentum for Freedom '64 keeps building.