Ole Miss riot of 1962

Ole Miss riot of 1962
Marion S. Trikosko · Public domain · source
Title	Ole Miss riot of 1962
Partof	the Civil Rights Movement
Date	September 30 – October 1, 1962
Place	University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
Causes	Enforcement of desegregation order for James Meredith
Goals	Prevent desegregation of the University of Mississippi
Methods	Rioting, assault, arson
Result	James Meredith enrolled under federal protection; campus desegregated
Side1	United States Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Service, United States Army
Side2	Segregationist rioters
Leadfigures1	John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Nicholas Katzenbach
Leadfigures2	Ross Barnett, John C. Stennis
Casualties1	2 civilians killed, hundreds injured
Howmany3	31,000 National Guardsmen and federal troops deployed

Ole Miss riot of 1962 was a violent insurrection that erupted at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, from the evening of September 30 into October 1, 1962. The unrest was precipitated by the enforced enrollment of James Meredith, an African American United States Air Force veteran, following a protracted legal battle. President John F. Kennedy ultimately deployed over 30,000 federal troops, including members of the United States Army and the U.S. Marshals Service, to quell the riot and uphold a federal court order. The event marked a pivotal and violent confrontation in the Civil Rights Movement, directly challenging the authority of the federal government of the United States and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Background and context

The legal foundation for the crisis was the landmark 1954 Supreme Court of the United States ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared state laws establishing segregated public schools unconstitutional. Despite this, the University of Mississippi, like many institutions in the Deep South, remained segregated. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett, a staunch segregationist, had pledged in his inaugural address to defend Mississippi's "southern institutions" and openly defied federal integration mandates. This defiance was part of a broader strategy of massive resistance employed by southern politicians, including Senators James Eastland and John C. Stennis, to obstruct the Civil Rights Movement.

James Meredith's enrollment

James Meredith, inspired by the Brown v. Board of Education decision, applied for transfer to the University of Mississippi in January 1961. His application was repeatedly rejected on technicalities. With legal representation from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, including attorney Constance Baker Motley, Meredith filed suit. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and later the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in his favor. Governor Ross Barnett personally blocked Meredith's registration attempts at the Mississippi State Capitol and the University of Mississippi campus, leading to a dramatic standoff with federal officials led by Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach.

The riot and federal intervention

On September 30, 1962, after a secretive agreement between the Kennedy administration and Governor Ross Barnett broke down, James Meredith was clandestinely escorted onto campus by a contingent of U.S. Marshals. As news spread, a mob of over 2,000 students, White Citizens' Council members, and outside agitators, including former Army Major General Edwin Walker, gathered. The crowd attacked the marshals guarding the Lyceum building with bricks, bottles, and gunfire. President John F. Kennedy federalized the Mississippi National Guard and, in the early hours of October 1, ordered units from the Army's 2nd Infantry Division and the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell to intervene. The riot resulted in two civilian deaths, including French journalist Paul Guihard, and injuries to over 300 people, including 166 federal marshals.

Aftermath and desegregation

Following the suppression of the riot, a massive military occupation of Oxford, Mississippi commenced, with troops remaining on campus for over a year to ensure James Meredith's safety. Meredith attended his first class on October 1, 1962, under heavy guard, formally desegregating the University of Mississippi. He endured relentless harassment and social isolation but persisted, graduating in August 1963 with a degree in political science. The event severely damaged the national reputation of Governor Ross Barnett and demonstrated the resolve of the Kennedy administration to enforce federal court orders. It also prompted the United States Department of Justice to increase its involvement in Civil Rights Movement litigation across the Southern United States.

Legacy and historical significance

The Ole Miss riot of 1962 is widely regarded as a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, proving that the federal government of the United States would use ultimate force to defeat massive resistance to desegregation. It foreshadowed later federal interventions, such as during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and the Selma to Montgomery marches. The event cemented James Meredith's place as a major figure in the struggle for African American equality. The campus itself has undergone significant transformation, with the Lyceum building serving as a memorial, and the university now actively commemorates its complex history. The riot remains a stark reminder of the violent conflict between states' rights and federal authority during the dismantling of Jim Crow laws.

Category:1962 riots in the United States Category:University of Mississippi Category:African-American history in Mississippi Category:1962 in Mississippi Category:John F. Kennedy administration