James Meredith Against Ole Miss

In September of 1962 President John F. Kennedy finally had to intervene when the all white, 114-year old University of Mississippi had their first black student register. James Meredith was a Negro Air Force veteran who registered at the University of Mississippi. Ole Miss attempted to keep him out but lost that battle. Meredith said “Someone had to seek admission to the University of Mississippi and I decided to do so.” [1] The Governor of Mississippi showed up to Ole Miss on James Meredith’s first day to block him from entering. President JFK then sent 320 U.S Marshals to the university and authorized the Department of Defense to send troops to aid if necessary. Additionally, he went on national television and urged students to “show your courage to accept those laws with which you disagree…” [2]

---

[1] Ward, Year's Pictorial History of the American Negro, 98.

[2] Ward, Year's Pictorial History of the American Negro, 98.