james meredith (1)

8/2/2019 James Meredith (1)

1/12

By Andy Cifuentes & JonathanKhanhkham

Period 4


2/12

January 1961, James Meredith was anine year old African American veteranof the Air Force that attended JacksonState College. He then applied to the

all-white University of Mississippi. Knowingly that applying to theUniversity of Mississippi would cause

many problems, in order to protecthimself and his family he notified theNAACP.


3/12

At first his feedback from the collegewas positive until Meredith informedthem that he was African American which

lead to them telling him that theregistration for the semester was closed.

He was denied of admission to theuniversity numerous times which lead tothe NAACPs Legal Defense Fund hadassigned Constance B. Motley to the case


4/12

Motley filed a civil suit on behalf ofMeredith, however the court upheldthe universities decision.

The case was brought to the UnitesStates Fifth Circuit Court of Appealswhich agreed that Meredith should

have been admitted to the university.


5/12

Through a variety of legalmaneuvers the case ended up inthe United States Supreme Court.

Justice Hugo L. Black and theother members of the SupremeCourt upheld the ruling of theCourt of Appeals.

Governor Ross R. Barnett theuniversity officials to defy theorders of the Supreme Court.


6/12

Desperate to find the reasons to denythe admission of Meredith, Barnettcharged Meredith for the crime ofmoral turpitude.

September 20, 1962 the governorobtained passage of a bill that deniedadmission to institutions of higherlearning to anyone charged with moralturpitude.

Robert Kennedy told Barnett not toarrest Meredith, although Barnett stilldid not allow Meredith to register.


7/12

Meredith attempted to register three timesbut was denied.

His fourth attempt on September 27, causedBarnett to feel nervous and call of the wholeregistration which angered the uncontrollablecrowd. He then fled back to his temporarybase in Memphis.


8/12

September 30, John F. Kennedy issued anexecutive order authorizing the secretary ofdefense to call in the military in order toenforce justice in Mississippi.

On the same day hundreds of United Statesmarshals, Mississippi National guards, andregular military soldiers lined the front of theadministration building.


9/12

James Meredith was quietly installed, unseen,in a dormitory.

As he studied and slept, a riot was held whichleft two dead and hundreds injured ragedonto the campus.

On the same day Meredith was registered as astudent of the University of Mississippi.

With tear gas still hanging in the air, heattended his first class.


10/12

40 professors resigned and many studentsleft to pursue degrees elsewhere.

After more than twenty-five thousand troopswere needed to allow his enrollment,Meredith was victorious.

5 hundred troops were maintained at theuniversity.

Meredith was constantly accompanied byfederal troops.


11/12

August 1963, James Meredith graduated withthe results of two lives that have been takenand almost five million dollars spent by thefederal government.

Afterwards, two more African Americanstudents enrolled that same the Civil RightsAct of 1964 was passed which encouragedintegration.


12/12

While leading a march to encourage blacks toregister to vote in June 1967, he was shottwice in the backand lived.

Aubrey Norvell spent 18 moths in jail for hiscrime

james meredith (1)

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