University of Mississippi Radio and Television Speech
9/30/1962
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
Add only page 1 to activity:
Add only page 2 to activity:
Add only page 3 to activity:
Add only page 4 to activity:
Add only page 5 to activity:
This is President John F. Kennedy's report to the nation on the integration of the University of Mississippi and the enrollment of James Meredith. On May 31, 1961, James H. Meredith filed suit in the U.S. district court against the University of Mississippi, claiming that he had been denied admission because of his race. On June 25, 1962, more than a year after he had initially applied to the university, the U.S. Fifth Circuit court handed down its decision. James Meredith was to be allowed to attend the University of Mississippi. Meredith's legal victory was challenged. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett proclaimed that the State of Mississippi would not conform to the federal court decision. The U.S. Government would not tolerate the defiance of the State of Mississippi. On September 30, 1962, the President of the United States issued an Executive Order stating that justice was not going to be obstructed by any person or state. In this speech, Kennedy reaffirmed the supremacy of the federal courts over the state courts in settling constitutional issues. Learn more at Integrating Ole Miss from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
Text adapted from "President Kennedy's Address to the Nation on the James Meredith Case" in the February 1986 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
Text adapted from "President Kennedy's Address to the Nation on the James Meredith Case" in the February 1986 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
This primary source comes from the JFK-POF: Papers of John F. Kennedy: President's Office Files.
National Archives Identifier: 193913
Full Citation: University of Mississippi Radio and Television Speech; 9/30/1962; Radio and television report on situation at the University of Mississippi, 30 September 1962; Speech Files, 1961 - 1963; JFK-POF: Papers of John F. Kennedy: President's Office Files; John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, MA. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/university-of-mississippi-radio-and-television-speech, March 29, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.