Tonight's debate in Oxford, Mississippi, on the campus of Ole Miss will bring national attention to a place that has a notorious position in our nation's history of race relations.

On October 1, 1962, Ole Miss was integrated thanks to the courage of a black Air Force veteran named James Meredith, who faced some hellacious opposition to his presence on campus.

[Meredith's] enrollment, virulently opposed by segregationist Governor Ross Barnett, sparked riots on the Oxford campus, which required federal troops and U.S. Marshals, who were sent by President John F. Kennedy. The riots led to a violent clash which left two people dead, including French journalist Paul Guihard, 48 soldiers injured and 30 U.S. Marshals with gun wounds.

In spite of the obstacles, Meredith graduated on August 18, 1963, with a degree in political science and later earned a law degree from Columbia University.

Prior to attending Ole Miss, Meredith was an Airman. Between 1951 and 1960, he served, in Peru, Indiana at Grissom Air Force Base and in Japan.

James Meredith had joined the Air Force after high school. To him, this was the only way he would be able to receive the type of education he desired. After leaving the military, he realized that the only way he would be able to fulfill his craving for a good education was to go to college. He also realized that the same quality of education offered to white students was not available to him. There were black colleges available to him. He did not believe that black students were offered an education as good as white students were offered. He decided that the only place he could receive the education he wanted was to enroll in the University of Mississippi. (link)

Meredith's example is a terriffic display of the social mobility and countless opportunities the military can offer. When the right person puts on the uniform, the example of men like James Meredith shows that it isn't hyperbole (and one of the rare opportunities in life where this is true) to say that their potential is limitless. And institutionally, the opportunities and openness of the Air Force provided an unparalleled launching pad for Meredith's potential.

The Air Force had been recently established after World War II, and did not have the same legacy of racism as the other branches did. Meredith was sent to Japan shortly after joining the Air Force. In Japan, Meredith stated, he was never conscious of his racial identity as he was in the US. Meredith was amazed by the attitude of racial tolerance in Japan in the mid-1950s. Meredith spent lots of time following the news of racial strife within the US during the 1950s. He also began to study race relations while serving his military duty (link)

At the same time, the fact that Meredith was a veteran played an important role supporting his argument for admission into Ole Miss. Institutionally, the cache provided by the military--the simple fact that this American willingly served his nation for nearly a decade--transcended race.

Today, Meredith lives in Jackson, MS, with his wife. As Americans, we all take a moment to appreciate that the first black candidate for president will engage in a debate at Ole Miss-- which owes a debt of gratitude to the courage of one of the finest Americans to wear the Air Force Blue.

Labels: Air Force