James Meredith: Civil Rights Hero Who Integrated Ole Miss
James Meredith, who was born on June 25, 1933, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, made history as the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962, igniting the tumultuous 'Battle of Ole Miss.' A veteran of the Air Force from 1951 to 1960, he faced rejection twice before successfully challenging the university in a Supreme Court case with the assistance of the NAACP. Despite the ruling, Governor Ross Barnett resisted, prompting Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to dispatch U.S. Marshals to ensure Meredith's entry on September 30, 1962. The ensuing chaos led to over 120 injuries and two fatalities. In 1966, Meredith initiated the 'March Against Fear' from Memphis to Jackson, where he was shot on June 6 but survived. His granddaughter, Jasmine, graduated from the same university in 2022.
Key facts
- James Meredith was born on June 25, 1933 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, the ninth of 13 children.
- He grew up on his family's 84-acre farm, sheltered from many hardships of segregation.
- At age 15, he first experienced racism when forced to move to the back of a bus in Memphis.
- Meredith served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1960, including three years in Japan.
- He was rejected twice by the University of Mississippi in 1961 and 1962.
- The NAACP and Medgar Evers took his case; the Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
- On September 30, 1962, U.S. Marshals escorted Meredith onto campus, triggering the 'Battle of Ole Miss' with over 120 injured and two dead.
- In 1966, he began the 'March Against Fear' and was shot on June 6 near Hernando, Mississippi.
- His granddaughter Jasmine graduated from the University of Mississippi with a master's degree in 2022.
Entities
Artists
- James Meredith
- Moses Meredith
- Roxie Meredith
- Medgar Evers
- Ross Barnett
- Robert F. Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Aubrey James Norvell
- Jasmine Meredith
Institutions
- University of Mississippi
- United States Air Force
- NAACP
- Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
- Jackson State College
- United States Marshals Service
- Supreme Court of the United States
- New York Public Library
- Library of Congress
Locations
- Kosciusko, Mississippi, USA
- Mississippi, USA
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Japan
- Jackson, Mississippi, USA
- Hernando, Mississippi, USA
- Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
- Highway 51, Mississippi, USA