James Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) - here with wife, Judy Meredith - 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). Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi. Photograph by Bernard Gotfryd
In 1961, inspired the day before by President John F. Kennedy, Meredith started to apply to the University of Mississippi, intending to insist on his civil rights to attend the state-funded university.[9] It still admitted only white students under the state's culture of racial segregation, although the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional, as they are supported by all the taxpayers. Meredith wrote in his application that he wanted admission for his country, race, family, and himself. He said, Nobody handpicked believed, and believe now, that I have a Divine [10] I am familiar with the probable difficulties involved in such a move as I am undertaking and I am fully prepared to pursue it all the way to a degree from the University of Mississippi. He was twice denied admission.[11] During this time, he was advised by Medgar Evers, who was head of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). On May 31, 1961, Meredith, with backing of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, filed suit in the District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, alleging that the university had rejected him only because of his race, as he had a highly successful record of military service and academic courses. The case went through many hearings, after which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Meredith had the right to be admitted to the state school. The state appealed to the Supreme Court, which supported the ruling of the appeals court.[12] On September 13, 1962, the District Court entered an injunction directing the members of the Board of Trustees and the officials of the University to register Meredith.[13] The Democratic Governor of Mississippi, Ross Barnett, declared "no school will be integrated in Mississippi while I am your governor".
Size: 6316px × 9438px
Location: Mississippi
Photo credit: © American Photo Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: activist, african, american, black, civil, discrimination, james, judy, meredith, minority, mississippi, naacp, negro, portrait, rights, south, southern, university, wife, writer
