University of Mississippi historian Eagles turns a critical eye on his own university in this exhaustive and exhausting look at racism at Ole Miss. Although James Meredith, the school's first black student, figures prominently in the title, he takes center stage only in the book's second half, which examines the opposition to his historic 1962 enrollment. With painstaking research and detail, Eagles explores the university's history, from its founding...

"On October 1, 1962, James Meredith was the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. Preceded by violent rioting resulting in two deaths and a lengthy court battle that made it all the way to the Supreme Court, his admission was a pivotal moment in civil rights history. Citing his "divine responsibility" to end white supremacy, Meredith risked everything to attend Ole Miss. In doing so, he paved the way for integration...

In 1962, the University of Mississippi erupted in violence over integration while swelling with pride over an unbeaten football team. Includes interviews with James Meredith, William Doyle, William Winter, Curtis Wilkie, Dan Rather, university alumni, and members of the 1962 Ole Miss Rebels football team.

Contains 8,792 digital page images reproducing FBI documentation on James Meredith's battle to enroll at The University of Mississippi in 1962 and white political and social backlash, including his correspondence with the NAACP and positive and negative letters he received from around the world during his ordeal.