NAME | DESCRIPTION |
JAMES MEREDITH | James 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 |
DESCRIPTION | NAME OF SITE | CITY | STATE |
BIRTHPLACE | FARMHOUSE | KOSHICKO | MISSISSPPI |
ALMA MATER | ST GIBBS HIGH SCHOOL | ST PETERSBURG | FLORIDA |
ALMA MATER | UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN | OYO | NIGERIA |
ALMA MATER | UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSPPI | OXFORD | MISSISSPPI |
ALMA MATER – LAW BUILDING | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK CITY | NEW YORK CITY |
MUSEUM | WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR MUSEUM | DAYTON | OHIO |
BUILDING | JAMES MEREDITH BUILDING | MEMPHIS | TENNENSEE |
STATUE | JAMES MEREDITH STATUE | OXFORD | MISSISSPPI |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION/TIMELINE |
MEREDITH | MEREDITH 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. |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION/TIMELINE |
MEREDITH | HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1951. |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION/TIMELINE |
MEREDITH | MEREDITH COMPLETED 11TH GRADE AT ATTALA COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL (WHICH WAS SEGREGATED AS “WHITE” AND “COLORED” UNDER THE STATE’S JIM CROW LAWS) |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION |
MEREDITH | MEREDITH ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. HE SERVED FROM 1951 TO 1960 |
HE SERVED FROM 1951 TO 1960
LEADER | DESCRIPTION |
JAMES MEREDITH | OLE 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 |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION /TIMELINE |
MEDERITH | HE 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 LEADER | DESCRIPTION |
MEDERITH | He returned to the United States in 1965 |
LEADER | EVENT |
MEDERITH | HE ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND EARNED AN LL.B (LAW DEGREE) IN 1968 |
LEADER | DESCRIPTION/TIMELINE -MARCH AGAINST FEAR |
MEREDITH | IN 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 |