Ole Miss riot of 1962

Ole Miss riot of 1962
Part of the Civil Rights Movement
Chief U.S. Marshal James McShane (left) and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, John Doar (right) of the Justice Department, escorting James Meredith to class at Ole Miss.
Date	September 30, 1962 – October 1, 1962 (2 days)
Location	Lyceum-The Circle Historic District, University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi
Causes	Brown v. Board of Education (1954) US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruling Meredith v. Fair (1962) Governor Ross Barnett blocks registrars' office at University of Mississippi Speech "I Love Mississippi" delivered by Governor Ross Barnett
Result	Televised address "Situation at the University of Mississippi" delivered by John F. Kennedy Death of Ray Gunter and Paul Guihard
Parties to the civil conflict
Student The White House Justice Department Civil Rights Division US Marshals Mississippi National Guard Governor of Mississippi Mississippi Senator Protesters Students
Lead figures
Student James Meredith The White House John F. Kennedy, President Robert F. Kennedy, Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, Deputy Attorney General John Doar, Assistant Attorney General James McShane, Chief US Marshal Charles Billingslea, US General Murray "Chooky" Falkner, Captain of Troop E State of Mississippi Ross Barnett, Governor Paul B. Johnson, Jr., Lieutenant Governor Thomas B. Birdsong, Colonel George M. Yarbrough, State Senator Protest leader Edwin Walker, former US Major general

Student

The White House

State of Mississippi

Protest leader

The Ole Miss riot of 1962, or Battle of Oxford, was fought between Southern segregationist civilians and federal and state forces beginning the night of September 30, 1962; segregationists were protesting the enrollment of James Meredith, a black US military veteran, at the University of Mississippi (known affectionately as Ole Miss) at Oxford, Mississippi. Two civilians were killed during the night, including a French journalist, and over 300 people were injured, including one third of the US Marshals deployed.

In 1954 the US Supreme Court had ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Meredith applied as a legitimate student with strong experience as an Air Force veteran and good grades in completed coursework at Jackson State University. Despite this, his entrance was barred first by university officials, and later by segregationist Governor Ross Barnett.

In late September, 1962, the administration of President John F. Kennedy had extensive discussions with Governor Barnett and his staff about protecting Meredith, but Barnett publicly vowed to keep the university segregated. The President and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy wanted to avoid bringing in federal forces for several reasons. Robert Kennedy hoped that legal means, along with the escort of U.S. Marshals, would be enough to force the Governor to comply. He also was very concerned there might be a "mini-civil war" between the U.S. Army troops and armed protesters.

Governor Barnett, under pressure from the courts, conducted secret back door discussions in response to calls from the Kennedy administration between Thursday September 27 and Sunday the 30th. He was committed to maintain civil order and reluctantly agreed to allow Meredith to register in exchange for a scripted face-saving event. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered 500 U.S. Marshals to accompany Meredith during his arrival and registration.