A federal court orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith; his enrollment days later triggers deadly riots requiring federal intervention.
At a Glance
- Date
- 29 September 1962
- Location
- Oxford, Mississippi
- Key people
- James Meredith, Robert F. Kennedy
- Category
- Education & HBCUs
- Source
- Meredith v. Fair court records (1962) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
It tested whether federal authority could compel integration of a Southern university.
What It Means Now
Meredith's enrollment is a landmark in the desegregation of higher education.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “James Meredith and Ole Miss.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/james-meredith-and-ole-miss/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). James Meredith and Ole Miss. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/james-meredith-and-ole-miss/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “James Meredith and Ole Miss.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/james-meredith-and-ole-miss/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.