E H T D N A I P

E H T D N A I P P I S S I S MIS S I R C H T MEREDI SECTION 1

THE MEREDITH CRISIS • JAMES MEREDITH INTEGRATED THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI OCTOBER 1962. • FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENFORCES SUPREME COURT ORDER USING 30, 000 TROOPS AFTER STATE RESIST THE INTEGRATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. • THE INTEGRATION BECAME A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE OF FEDERAL AUTHORITY VERSUS STATE SOVEREIGNTY

ORIGINS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS • JULY 2, 1946 MEDGAR EVERS AND A GROUP OF WWII VETERANS WENT TO THE NEWTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE AS THE FIRST BLACKS TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN MS AFTER RECONSTRUCTION BUT WERE TURNED AWAY BY A WHITE MOB. • 1948 PULITZER PRIZE WINNER HODDING CARTER DELIVERED A COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT ALCORN A&M ON EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY.

ADMINISTRATION OF ROSS R. BARNETT • 1960 -1964 ROSS R. BARNETT GOVERNOR PROMISED TO KEEP MS SCHOOLS SEGREGATED AND MAINTAIN MISSISSIPPI’S “WAY OF LIFE” • UNDER BARNETT’S ADMINISTRATION MISSISSIPPI ADOPTED TWO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. • ABOLISH PUBLIC SCHOOL TO STOP INTEGRATION • VOTERS SHALL BE OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1960 JOHN F. KENNEDY SUPPORTED CIVIL RIGHTS AND RACIAL EQUALITY GENERATING OPTIMISM AMONG MISSISSIPPI BLACKS.

EARLY ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES • • • 1944 HARRY S. MURPHY WAS STATIONED AT OLE MISS UNDER THE NAVY V-12 PROGRAM DURING WWII. HE WAS LIGHT SKINNED AND HIS RECORDS IDENTIFIED HIM AS CAUCASIAN. 1953 CHARLES DUBRA APPLIED TO OLE MISS LAW SCHOOL ONE YEAR BEFORE THE BROWN DECISION. DUBRA WANTED NO PUBLICITY AND OFFERED TO LIVE OF CAMPUS. DEAN FARLEY PRESENTED HIS APPLICATION TO COLLEGE BOARD AND THEY REJECTED HIS APPLICATION. 1954 MEDGAR EVERS APPLIED TO OLE MISS AFTER THE BROWN DECISION. HE WAS REJECTED FOR LACK OF RECOMMENDATION LETTERS. HE WAS REJECTED AGAIN AFTER HE SUBMITTED THE LETTERS. EVERS ACCEPTED A STATE FIELD SECRETARY POSITION IN THE NAACP INSTEAD OF PURSUING OLE MISS LAW SCHOOL. 1958 CLENNON KING A PROFESSOR AT ALCORN A&M APPLIED IN PERSON AT OLE MISS. WHEN KING ARRIVED TO REGISTER, HE WAS PLACED IN A ROOM AND LEFT. AFTER SHOUTING FOR HELP HE WAS COMMITTED TO WHITFIELD STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL. AFTER BEING RELEASED HE LEFT THE STATE. 1959 CLYDE KENNARD APPLIED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. 1960 HE WAS SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS IN PARCHMAN PRISON WHERE HE DIED OF STOMACH CANCER 1963. HIS CONVICTION WAS OVERTURNED IN MAY 2006.

THE MEREDITH CRISIS • • • 1961 JAMES MEREDITH AND SEVERAL BLACK TOUGALOO STUDENTS WERE ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO USE THE JACKSON PUBLIC LIBRARY. JAMES MEREDITH FILED SUIT IN FEDERAL COURT SEEKING ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI. 1962 SUPREME COURT ORDERED OLE MISS TO ADMIT JAMES MEREDITH. HE GRADUATED IN 1963 • OCTOBER 1, 1962 JAMES MEREDITH ENROLLS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI • JUNE 6, 1966 - JAMES MEREDITH SHOT DURING "MARCH AGAINST FEAR “ • THE LEGACY OF JAMES MEREDITH • MCKENNLEY WILSON'S JAMES MEREDITH STORY • HTTPS: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=RQFCVN KR 3 HTTPS: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=RQF CVNKR 3 CUCU

F O N O I T A N I S S A S S THE A S R E V E R A MEDG SECTION 2

MEDGAR EVERS ASSASSINATION AND ARREST • MAY 20, 1963 MEDGAR ANNOUNCE IN A TELEVISED SPEECH THAT THE NAACP WOULD USE EVERY LEGAL MEANS AVAILABLE TO BRING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN MISSISSIPPI INCLUDING SIT-INS AND BOYCOTTS. • JUNE 12, 1963 BYRON DE LA BECKWITH ASSASSINATED MEDGAR EVERS IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HIS JACKSON, MS HOME • JUNE 22, 1963 BECKWITH IS ARREST AT HIS HOME. A HINDS COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTS HIM FRO THE MURDER OF MEDGAR EVERS.

THE CLARION-LEDGER OF JACKSON • • The Clarion-Ledger was hostile to political, social and racial changes in Mississippi. Prior to Beckwith’s arrest the Clarion insinuated the civil rights leaders killed Evers to rekindle unrest. After Beckwith’s arrest the Clarion headline read “Californian is Charged” 2002 -2011 African American Ronnie Agnew and Ole Miss graduate served as Executive-Editor of the Clarion. Ledger.

BYRON DE LA BECKWITH Beckwith’s Racial Theories • • 1957 Beckwith wrote a letter to the editor of a Jackson newspaper stating his belief in segregation. 1963 Beckwith wrote to a letter to the National Rifle Association stating that Mississippi residents will have to do a lot of shooting to protect wives, children, and themselves. Beckwith’s First Two Trials • • Feb. 7, 1964 The first trial ended with a hung jury. April 17, 1964 The second trial ended with a hung jury. The Conviction of Beckwith • • January 1994 Beckwith was found guilty of the murder of Medgar Evers He was sentenced to life in prison and died in 2001 at the University Hospital the same as Medgar Evers

People outside the home of Medgar Evers following his murder by a sniper. 14

Medgar Evers Funeral

COUNCIL OF FEDERATED ORGANIZATIONS (COFO)

D N E E H T F O G N I N N I G E THE B N O I T A G E R G E S L A I C A OF R SECTION 3

ADMINISTRATION OF PAUL B. JOHNSON JR. 1964 -1968 • 1963 Paul B. Johnson a Democrat won the election but the Republican Rubel Phillips received 138, 515 indicating a larger number of Mississippi Republicans than believed. • During Johnson’s inaugural address he promised that hate, prejudice and ignorance would not lead Mississippi during his administration. • Under Johnson’s administration, nonagricultural employment exceeded agricultural employment for the first time in the state’s history.

LONG HOT SUMMER OF 1964 • 1964 Students came to • Mississippi under the sponsorship of COFO, SCLC, SNCC, CORE during Freedom Summer to help inform and help blacks with voter registration. 1964 violence in MS includes 3 murders, 80 beatings, 35 shootings, 1, 000 arrests, 35 churches burned, 31 homes & buildings bombed MISSISSIPPI • • • COFO workers Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman were murdered June 1964 by the KKK The federal government filed charge against 18 suspects and 7 were found guilty. Jerry Mitchell of the Clarion. Ledger uncovered evidence to help convict Edgar Ray Killen for manslaughter with 60 yrs. FREEDOM • • • 1964 Civil Rights leaders establish the Freedom Democratic Party leaders of the Democratic party offer a compromise between the loyalist and the regulars. Both sides decline and Fannie Lou Hamer states “We didn’t come all this way for no two seats SUMMER

FREEDOM SUMMER 1964

CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION 1964 -1965 • United States Congress passed several civil rights laws to stop discrimination in voting, housing, public places, and state parks.

THE FIREBOMBING OF VERNON DAHMER’S HOME • January 10, 1966 KKK firebombed Vernon Dahmer’s home killing him • Imperial Wizard Sam Bowers is tried 4 times ending in mistrials • Jerry Mitchell uncovers new evidence • 1998 Bowers is found guilty and sentenced to life. He died 2006

ELECTION OF 1967 • JOHN BELL WILLIAMS - elected Governor of Mississippi and ended the dual system of public school. • 1967 – 22 blacks are elected into public office in Mississippi • ROBERT G CLARK – won the states legislature seat and influenced the Education Reform Act of 1982