Meredith, James Howard, 1933-
James Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) is an American civil rights activist, writer, political adviser, and United States Air Force veteran who became, in 1962, the first African-American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Mississippi after the intervention of the federal government.
In 1966, Meredith planned a solo 220-mile March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi. On the second day, he was shot by a white gunman and suffered numerous wounds. Leaders of major organizations 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. He rejoined the march and when Meredith and other leaders entered Jackson on June 26, they were leading an estimated 15,000 marchers, in what was the largest civil rights march in Mississippi. During the march, more than 4,000 African Americans registered to vote, and it was a catalyst to continued community organizing and additional registration.
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associatedWith | Boyle, Sarah-Patton, 1906- | person |
alumnusOrAlumnaOf | Columbia University | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Hayden, Jay G., 1884-1971 | person |
associatedWith | Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Jackson State College | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Metcalf, George R., 1914- | person |
associatedWith | Motley, Constance Baker, 1921-2005 | person |
associatedWith | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Newsweek, inc. | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Smith, Wofford K., 1927-1990. | person |
associatedWith | University of Kansas. | corporateBody |
alumnusOrAlumnaOf | University of Mississippi | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Washburn University of Topeka | corporateBody |
Place Name | Admin Code | Country | |
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Kosciusko | MS | US | |
Mississippi | MS | US | |
United States | 00 | US |
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Civil rights workers |
Lawyers |
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Person
Birth 1933-06-25
English