Nix, James, 1937-

Born in Collins, Mississippi, in 1937, James Nix grew up and was educated in a segregated society, going to school in Laurel, Mississippi. He joined the United States Army in 1954 during the Korean War, and served in the United States and Europe. The army was Mr. Nix's first experience with racial integration. Mr. Nix left the military in 1957 and completed his high school education and in 1960, he re-enlisted in the military. In 1966, he left the army and moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he became active in the civil rights movement. In that same year, Mr. Nix joined the local chapter of the NAACP and formed a civil rights activist group called the Spirit. This group agitated for civil rights in Hattiesburg and served as bodyguards for local civil rights leaders.