I’ll never forget the first conversation I had with James Meredith. I answered the phone and he mumbled softly, “Hello, this is James Meredith. Is this the president of the Ole Miss student body?” I replied, “Yes, this is.” I immediately stopped what I was doing and gave the phone my undivided attention. I could hardly believe James Meredith...
Tag Archives: Mississippi
Oxford police are never too far away to make sure students and Oxonians are abiding by the law on the Square, according to Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin. “The main thing that gets you in trouble is getting intoxicated and causing a scene,” he said. Martin said an average of 15 people are arrested on the Square each weekend, and most arrests involve people...
In 1962, U.S. Marshals were ordered to go to The Univer- sity of Mississippi to escort James Meredith so he could enroll in classes. Five of those marshals returned to the Ole Miss Student Union Monday morning to speak about their experience on campus during the 1962 integration. People filled the ballroom in the Union to hear the panel of five former U.S. Marshals and...
Actor and musician Harry Belafonte spoke to a packed house at the Ford Center Monday night. “Civil rights is not just a movement, it’s a way of life,” Belafonte said. Chancellor Dan Jones opened the ceremony with a brief statement about the day’s meaning for The Uni- versity of Mississippi. With the help of faculty members and a civil rights committee,...
Musician and Civil Rights Activist Harry Belafonte, Chan- cellor Dan Jones and Associated Student Body president Kimbrely Dandridge led a walk to commemorate the anniversary of James Meredith’s first day as a student at The University of Mississippi. The walk began at Baxter Hall, where Meredith lived while on campus, and ended at the Lyceum steps. Facing the statue...
On the 50th anniversary of James Meredith’s admission to The University of Mis- sissippi, the Black Student Union paid tribute to Mere- dith by unveiling dedication markers. Donald Cole, assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor for minority af- fairs, reflected on the strug- gles Meredith faced as the only black student at the uni- versity. “The precedent...
Fifty years ago to the day, racism and riots engulfed The University of Mississippi campus. Students, faculty and visitors came together Sunday night to commemorate the remarkable accomplishment by James Meredith in 1962. This week celebrates integration at Ole Miss, which began with Meredith’s admission 50 years ago. The Statewide Day of Remembrance: A Walk of Reconciliation...
Three times a year, University of Mississippi students join residents of a small community in Belize to build a road. The San Mateo Empowerment Project in Belize is one of the university’s most popular Study Abroad programs. More than 100 Ole Miss students have participated in the project since 2010, raising more than $40,000 to support the construction of the road. San...
The fires of revulsion spread wildly and untamed in Mississippi and on The University of Mississippi’s campus on Sept. 30, 1962, injuring several people and resulting in the death of two men. It was on this day that 29-year-old James Meredith made history by becoming the first black student admitted to Ole Miss. However, his arrival in Oxford and admittance into the...
Raymond Martin of Atlanta was 9 years old when James Meredith made history as the first black student to attend The University of Mississippi. As a little boy in 1962, Martin remembered troops around Oxford, a lot of confusion and “just a prayer for the future.” The tense and violent atmosphere led his parents’ decision not to walk around town anymore....
