Dr. James H. Meredith was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi of Native American (Choctaw) and African American heritage. From high school he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving from 1951 to 1960. He then attended Jackson State College for two years.

He applied to the University of Mississippi, but was denied twice. His second refusal 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. On October 1, 1962 he was accepted to the University. Meredith’s actions are regarded as a pivotal moment in the history of civil rights in the United States. On August 18, 1963 he graduated with a degree in Political Science thus becoming the first black student to graduate from the University of Mississippi.