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Sunday October 12th 2008 |
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Sunday October 12th 2008 |
a non-profit education organization | |
June 25
Meredith was born in Kosciusko, MS. While attending Jackson State College, he was twice rejected in 1961 to attend the university. Meredith filed a complaint with the district court on May 31, 1961. Meredith's allegation of denied admission because of his color was rejected. However, on appeal, the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court reversed this ruling. By a 2 to 1 decision the judges decided that Mississippi was maintaining a policy of educational segregation. Meredith's admission to the University of Mississippi was opposed by state officials and students. Attorney General Robert Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect Meredith from threats of lynching and other harm. Riots followed Kennedy's decision, in which 160 marshals were wounded (28 by gunfire) and two bystanders were killed. Despite all of this, Meredith continued to study at the University of Mississippi and graduated in 1964. Meredith's account of this experience at the university, "Three Years in Mississippi," was published in 1966. On June 5, 1966, Meredith started a solitary March against Fear from Memphis to Jackson, to protest against racism; he was shot by sniper. Soon, other civil rights campaigners, including the Reverend Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael, and Floyd McKissick continued the march in Meredith's name. When the marchers got to Greenwood, MS, Carmichael made his famous Black Power speech. After hospital treatment Meredith rejoined the March as they arrived in Jackson. Once again the civil rights movement had shown that it would not give in to white racism. After leaving the University of Mississippi as a student, Meredith continued his education at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and at Columbia University. Meredith ceased being a civil rights activist in the late 1960s and found employment as a stockbroker. Meredith joined the Republican Party and made several attempts to be elected to Congress. He became increasingly conservative, and in 1988, accused liberal whites as being "the greatest enemy" of African Americans. He also opposed economic sanctions against South Africa and making the birthday of Martin Luther King a national holiday. In 1997, Meredith presented his papers to the University of Mississippi where they are maintained by the Special Collections branch of the J.D. Williams Library. Reference: The Department of English, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677.
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The African American Registry®, The African American Registry® Copyright 2005, 2006
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