JAMES MEREDITH

NAMEDESCRIPTION
JAMES MEREDITHJames Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) is an American civil rights activist, writer, political adviser, and Air Force veteran who became, in 1962, the first African-American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Mississippi after the intervention of the federal government (an event that was a flashpoint in the civil rights movement). Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi. His goal was to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans
DESCRIPTIONNAME OF  SITECITYSTATE
BIRTHPLACE FARMHOUSEKOSHICKOMISSISSPPI
ALMA MATERST GIBBS HIGH SCHOOLST PETERSBURGFLORIDA
ALMA MATERUNIVERSITY OF IBADANOYO NIGERIA
ALMA MATERUNIVERSITY OF MISSISSPPIOXFORD MISSISSPPI
ALMA MATER – LAW BUILDINGCOLUMBIA UNIVERSITYNEW YORK CITYNEW YORK CITY
MUSEUMWRIGHT PATTERSON AIR MUSEUMDAYTONOHIO
BUILDINGJAMES MEREDITH BUILDINGMEMPHISTENNENSEE
STATUEJAMES MEREDITH STATUEOXFORDMISSISSPPI
LEADERDESCRIPTION/TIMELINE
MEREDITHMEREDITH WAS BORN IN 1933 IN KOSCIUSKO, MISSISSIPPI, THE SON OF ROXIE (PATTERSON) AND MOSES MEREDITH. HE IS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, ENGLISH CANADIAN, SCOTS AND CHOCTAW HERITAGE. HIS FAMILY NICKNAME WAS “J-BOY”. EUROPEAN TRADERS INTERMARRIED WITH SOME CHOCTAW DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD.
LEADERDESCRIPTION/TIMELINE
MEREDITHHE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1951.
LEADERDESCRIPTION/TIMELINE
MEREDITHMEREDITH COMPLETED 11TH GRADE AT ATTALA COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL (WHICH WAS SEGREGATED AS “WHITE” AND “COLORED” UNDER THE STATE’S JIM CROW LAWS)
LEADERDESCRIPTION
MEREDITHMEREDITH ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
HE SERVED FROM 1951 TO 1960
LEADERDESCRIPTION
JAMES MEREDITHOLE MISS- IN 1961, INSPIRED THE DAY BEFORE BY U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY, MEREDITH STARTED TO APPLY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, INTENDING TO INSIST ON HIS CIVIL RIGHTS TO ATTEND THE STATE-FUNDED UNIVERSITY. LAW BUILDING AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSPPI -IN 1961, INSPIRED THE DAY BEFORE BY U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY, MEREDITH STARTED TO APPLY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, INTENDING TO INSIST ON HIS CIVIL RIGHTS TO ATTEND THE STATE-FUNDED UNIVERSITY
LEADERDESCRIPTION /TIMELINE
MEDERITHHE PERSISTED THROUGH HARASSMENT AND EXTREME ISOLATION TO GRADUATE ON AUGUST 18, 1963, WITH A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE. MEREDITH CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION, FOCUSING ON POLITICAL SCIENCE, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN IN NIGERIA
NAME OF LEADERDESCRIPTION
MEDERITH He returned to the United States in 1965
LEADEREVENT
MEDERITHHE ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND EARNED AN LL.B (LAW DEGREE) IN 1968
LEADERDESCRIPTION/TIMELINE -MARCH AGAINST FEAR
MEREDITHIN 1966, MEREDITH ORGANIZED AND LED A SOLO, PERSONAL MARCH AGAINST FEAR FOR 220 MILES FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, BEGINNING ON JUNE 6, 1966. INVITING ONLY BLACK MEN TO JOIN HIM, HE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT CONTINUING RACIAL OPPRESSION IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, AS WELL AS TO ENCOURAGE BLACKS TO REGISTER AND VOTE FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, WHICH AUTHORIZED FEDERAL OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT OF RIGHTS. GOVERNOR PAUL JOHNSON PROMISED TO ALLOW THE MARCH AND PROVIDE STATE HIGHWAY POLICE PROTECTION. MEREDITH WANTED BLACKS IN MISSISSIPPI TO OVERCOME FEAR OF VIOLENCE. HE WAS WOUNDED AND TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. MEREDITH RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUNDS AND REJOINED THE MARCH BEFORE IT REACHED JACKSON ON JUNE 26, WHEN 15,000 MARCHERS ENTERED THE CITY IN WHAT HAD BECOME THE LARGEST CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH IN STATE HISTORY