James Meredith

For other people named James Meredith, see James Meredith (disambiguation).

James Meredith
Meredith in 2007
Born
James Howard Meredith

(1933-06-25) June 25, 1933 (age 91)
Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.
EducationJackson State University
University of Mississippi (BA)
Columbia University (LLB)
Known forFirst black student at the University of Mississippi
Spouses
Mary June Wiggins
​
​
(m. 1956; died 1979)​
Judy Alsobrooks
​
(m. 1982)​
Children4

James Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) is an American civil rights activist, writer, political adviser, and United States 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).[1] Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi.[2] His goal was to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans.[2] The admission of Meredith ignited the Ole Miss riot of 1962 where Meredith's life was threatened and 31,000 American servicemen were required to quell the violence – the largest ever invocation of the Insurrection Act of 1807.[3]

In 1966, Meredith planned a solo 220-mile (350-kilometer) March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi; he wanted to highlight continuing racism in the South and encourage voter registration after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He did not want major civil rights organizations involved. The second day, he was shot by a white gunman and suffered numerous wounds. Leaders of major organizations vowed to complete the march in his name after he was taken to the hospital. While Meredith was recovering, more people from across the country became involved as marchers. He rejoined the march and when Meredith and other leaders entered Jackson on June 26, they were leading an estimated 15,000 marchers, in what was the largest civil rights march in Mississippi. During the march, more than 4,000 African Americans registered to vote, and it was a catalyst to continued community organizing and additional registration.

In 2002 and again in 2012, the University of Mississippi led year-long series of events to celebrate the 40th and 50th anniversaries of Meredith's integration of the institution. He was among numerous speakers invited to the campus, where a statue of him commemorates his role. The Lyceum-The Circle Historic District at the center of the campus has been designated as a National Historic Landmark for these events.

  1. ^ Dave, Paresh (February 18, 2014). "James Meredith talks about vandals". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Bryant 2006, p. 60.
  3. ^ Doyle, William (2002). An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962. Random House Digital Inc. p. 277. ISBN 9780385499699.