James Meredith (1933 - )
Sun Jun 25, 1933
James Meredith, born on this day in 1933, is a civil rights activist who became the first black student admitted to the University of Mississippi. He was shot on the second day of his "March Against Fear" against voter discrimination.
In 1962, Meredith became the first black student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi after a violent protest against his admission, known as the "Ole Miss Riot", was quelled by the federal government.
Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi, hoping to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans.
In 1966, Meredith planned a solo 220-mile March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, in protest of racial discrimination in voter registration. The second day, he was shot by a white sniper. Leaders of civil rights organizations and unions, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Walter Reuther, vowed to complete the march in his name after he was taken to the hospital.
While Meredith was recovering, more people from across the country became involved as marchers. When the estimated 15,000 marchers reached Jackson, Mississippi, with Meredith on its front lines, it became the largest civil rights march in Mississippi history.
- Date: 1933-06-25
- Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.cnn.com.
- Tags: #CivilRights, #Birthdays, #Protests.
- Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org