Today, minorities make up a fourth of the student populations of the university and the University of Mississippi Medical Center combined, and African Americans are two-thirds of those minorities.
Although Mississippi universities are more integrated, "you still don't have the interracial society one would have expected," McLemore said.
This fall, Courtney Roxanne Pearson became the first African American chosen as the school's homecoming queen. And a half-century after his admission, the relationship between Meredith and his alma mater remains as enigmatic as the man himself. At the 40th anniversary celebration, officials honored him, but he never spoke. Years later, the university honored him with a statue.
He has since asked the university to tear it down. Last week, he declared he wouldn't attend the 50th anniversary events. Myrlie Evers-Williams -- the widow of Medgar Evers, who was denied admission to the university's law school in -- said the names of many who paved the way in the civil rights movement are being forgotten, including Constance Baker-Motley, who represented Meredith in his legal battle. Donald Cole, an assistant to both the provost and chancellor at Ole Miss, said many freshmen arrive on campus "unaware of our history as an institution, unaware of our state's history.
Cole knows a little about his institution's history. Their complaint? They wanted the university to hire more minority faculty. Some schools and universities accepted integration easily, while others put up great resistance. Examples of resistance follow:. We see the next 50 years as a time to achieve more — to establish the highest levels of academic excellence, to prepare great leaders for every profession, to increase service projects across Mississippi and around the world, and to open the doors of higher education to all students willing to do the work required by a leading university, whatever their race, nationality, background or economic circumstance.
We invite you to explore this website to learn more about James Meredith and the university as it was in and as it is today — a place that demonstrates an unwavering commitment to change and progress. Watch a video about the legacy of James Meredith. Produced by Media and Documentary Projects. Air Force veteran, could go to class. The Battle of Oxford, as some call it, was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights struggle.
It showed how strong local resistance would be to integration, and the lengths the federal government would go to see that civil rights were honored. As you arrive on campus, stop at the information office at the Student Union. You should be able to pick up a campus map, and the helpful brochure, Remembering the Events of on The University of Mississippi Campus. Meredith, a nine-year Air Force veteran, said he was motivated by John F.
After being rejected in , his case went to the U. Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor. Although Mississippi Gov.
Ross Barnett tried to block the enrollment, Meredith arrived on Sept. By the end of the night nearly 30, troops had been deployed in the city.
By the end of the evening, two people were killed, more than marshals were wounded, and protesters arrested. About 8 p. Shots were fired back. You can see bullet marks on the inside of the far right column and the center column, both about 14 feet up.
The crowd, which had gathered in the circle in front of the Lyceum, slashed tires and burned cars while Mississippi Highway Patrolmen watched. With your back to the Lyceum, walk counter-clockwise around the circle, stopping at Shoemaker Hall, which is across from the Confederate monument. A local resident, Ray Gunter, 23, was watching the melee when he was hit by a bullet here and died instantly.
Continue around the circle, and then follow the sidewalk past Ventress Hal l toward the Student Union.
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