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James Meredith Born
James Meredith is born in Kosciusko, Mississippi to Moses "Cap" Meredith,and Roxie Smith Meredith. -
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Sent to Saint Petersburg, Florida
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Graduates all-black Gibbs High School
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Air Force Member
Worked as a typist for the airforce while taking college courses. -
Wedding
Married Mary June Wiggins, they later had three children -
Applies to Ole Miss
On this day James Meredith sent in his application to Ole Miss. This began the 17-month fight to ingregrate Ole Miss. -
Denied Admission
After months of conversing, Meredith is denied admission to the University. Constance Baker Motley and Jack Greenberg from NAACP Legal Defense Fund helped him bring a lawsuit against the University. -
Court Suit Turned Down
Judge Sidney Mize turned down the lawsuit against the University. -
Court Decision Made
The judge rules that Ole Miss is not a segregated institution, therefore James Meredith was not denied admission because of his skin color. -
Meredith is orded to be admitted
Fifth Circuit Court in New Orleans reversed decision, ordering Meredith to be admitted to Ole Miss. That summer, US District Judge Ben Cameron overruled that decision four times Thw Fifth Circuit overruled three of those. -
Supreme Court Orders Meredith's Admission
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black nullified the fourth and order Meredith to be admitted. In response, Mississippi governor Ross Barnett insists “There is no case in history where the Caucasian race ha survived total integration. We must either submit to the awful dictate of the federal government or stand up like men and tell them, ‘Never.’” -
Governor Barnett's Statewide Broadcast
In his statewide broadcast, Barnett promised not to allow Meredith to enter Ole Miss. -
Attempt's Again to Register
James Meredith makes another attempt to register on the campus. There he was met by BArnett, who read Meredith a state proclamation refuses his admission. -
State Court Issues Injunction Barring Meredith from Ole Miss
That same day, state legislature passed a law saying anyone who committed a crime involving moral turpitude couldn’t attend state college. Then, the Justice of Peace in Jackson convicted Meredith of falsely testifying on a voter registration form – a moral turpitude. -
Barnett Again Denies Admission
Barnett tries again to deny Merdith's admission, but the US Justice Department voids those charges, -
Fifth Cicruit Meets
The Fifth Circuit meets, and they agree to allow Meredith to enter Ole Miss. -
Fifth Circuit Joins Barnett in Blocking Meredith’s Entrance
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Lieutenant Governor Paul Johnson Supports Barnett
He supports Barnett's decision to not allow Meredith to enter the campus. The Federal Court finds them both guilty of contempt. Violence erupted on campus, and President Kennedy ordered troops to protect Meredith. -
Meredith Enters Ole Miss
Meredith flies from Memphis to Oxford in a Border Patrol plane.
6 PM – Meredith taken to dorm room, protected by 24 guards with 300 federal marshals on the campus “The car was battered and smashed. Bullet holes had riddled the sides, the windows were all shot out”
7-8 PM – Riot begins on campus, two die and 375 are injured. The rioters threw eggs, rocks, bottles, set fires, flipped cars, tried to drive a tractor into federal line -
Meredith is Finally Registered
Meredith finally escorted by federal officers and registered. More than 23,600 National Guard troops took position in Oxford. 500 policemen guarded Meredith around the clock, they escorted him through crowds of angry students -
Published his Book "Three Years in Mississippi"
In this book he stated, "I had a divine responsibility, a mission, to help break the system of ‘White Supremacy’ in Mississippi and direct ‘civilization toward a destiny of humaneness”. This was his inspiration for applying to Ole Miss.
