James Meredith, J. Edgar Hoover, and the Integration of the University of Mississippi
In the fall of 1962 the college town of Oxford, Mississippi, erupted in violence. At the center of the controversy stood James Meredith, an African American who was attempting to register at the all-white University of Mississippi, known as "Ole Miss." Meredith had the support of the federal government, which insisted that Mississippi honor the rights of all its citizens, regardless of race. Mississippi’s refusal led to a showdown between state and federal authorities and the storming of the campus by a segregationist mob. Two people died and dozens were injured. In the end, Ole Miss, the state of Mississippi, and the nation were forever changed. This collection contains extensive FBI documentation on Meredith's battle to enroll at the University as well as white political and social backlash, including his correspondence with the NAACP and positive and negative letters he received from around the world during his ordeal.