Integration of University of Mississippi Essay - 1468 Words

Integration of Ole Miss A strong and independent minded man named James H. Meredith applied for acceptance into the University of Mississippi. Meredith anticipated on encountering some type of difficulty with his attempt to enter the University of Mississippi, also known as the Ole Miss, but difficulty would not describe his journey. The day after John F. Kennedy was inaugurated in early January of 1961, Meredith requested for application into the Ole Miss. On January 26, the registrar of Ole Miss, Robert B. Ellis, sent him an application along with a letter indicating that the university was very pleased to know of [Merediths] interest in becoming a member of our student body (JFK Library). Meredith applied on January 31,†¦show more content†¦So on May 31, 1961, Meredith and Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP took the case to court. Over a year later of trial after trial, on September 10, 1962, the Supreme Court orders Ole Miss to accept James Meredith. Many Mississippians did not agree with the court . One of which included the governor of Mississippi, Ross R. Barnett. On September 25, 1962, Meredith tries to enter Ole Miss, but is blocked by Barnett claiming that [no school will be integrated in Mississippi while I am your Governor (Barnett Defies 2). Barnett held his ground and wanted Mississippi to remain as it was and would not stand for integration. A comic strip depicted Barnett laying down a brick wall around a Mississippi sign while trying to keep the sign of the U.S. out and separated (Integration). It influenced many into believing that Mississippi indeed seemed to be delayed and lagging behind the U.S. when it came to allowing integration, which the cartoon tries to prove. Barnett was scantly supported by other southern governors, but even so, Barnett asked if his citizens, especially officers, would go to jail to fight for his righteous cause. If any officers would not fight and allow integration, they should resign from there position and someone who could stand fir m would take theirShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Battle of Ole Miss1600 Words   |  7 Pagesgain admission to the Univeristy of Mississippi, ‘Ole Miss’, and desegregate education in the state most resistant to integration of educational institutions, has become a crucial episode in civil rights history. Ole Miss transformed Mississippi politics and contributed to a cultural shift in the region, as well as invigorated local civil rights activists and those in neighboring states 1. 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The six-year graduation rate is around 60 percentRead More James Meredith and the University of Mississippi’s Integration2749 Words   |  11 Pages James Meredith and the University of Mississippi’s Integration When a person presently looks at university school systems, one never imagines the struggle to obtain such diverse campuses. With Caucasians, Asians, Latinos, and African Americans all willing and able to attend any institution, it is difficult now to envision a world where, because of one’s skin color, a person is denied university acceptance. In actuality, this world existed only fifty years ago. In a time of extreme racial discriminationRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe doctrine was prolonged to state-supported colleges and universities in 1956. The school was the center of desegregation; by the end of 1957 nine of the 17 states and the District of Columbia had begun integration of their school systems. Forced integration led to much violence. 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