Sunday Inspirational with James Meredith

A Civil Rights hero was the focus of attention at the Biloxi Civic Center on Sunday.

A forerunner of the Civil Rights Movement, James Meredith knows about what it means and costs to take a stand. His statue now stands prominently at Ole Miss, but the National Guard was called in and riots broke out back in 1962 when he became the first African-American student to enroll and be admitted at the University of Mississippi, a pivotal moment in the history of Civil Rights in the United States. Biloxi Councilman Felix Gines said, “It’s something that we can’t take for granted. Being the only African-American councilman in the City of Biloxi, it’s an honor to have someone like him to come down, because when it’s a first, it’s an awesome feat.”

As the keynote speaker at the Sunday Inspirational event, and part of MLK Coastwide activities, Meredith recounted his time at Ole Miss and other historic moments, but stressed the importance of the here and now, encouraging those in the audience to continue the climb toward providing a better education for all our younger generations. Event Chairman Allytra Perryman said, “Having an iconic leader like James Meredith here is a big deal. Some of our children don’t understand how recent our history is, that civil rights happened in the 1960s. That’s in our generation, so it’s important that we see these living legends.”

The lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Meredith were intertwined. Back in 1963, King named Meredith number one on his list of heroes. King also stepped in when Meredith was shot in 1966 during his March against Fear. That journey continues on with Meredith with his focus more so on education now.