Integrating Ole Miss (1961)

Site: The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.

Then: The University of Mississippi — Ole Miss — had never admitted an African American student when a black man, James Meredith, tried to enroll in 1961. After the school rejected his application, the NAACP filed a federal lawsuit, alleging the college had made its decision solely on the basis of Meredith’s race. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that Meredith, indeed, had a right to attend.

On Oct. 1, 1962, Meredith officially became the first African American student at Ole Miss. But his presence sparked a campus riot among white students and anti-segregationists. A clash ensued between the mob and federal authorities — who backed Meredith’s enrollment. Two people died in the melee and dozens were injured, according to the JFK Library.

Photo: James Meredith, escorted by U.S. Marshals, walking to class at the University of Mississippi.