On June 6, 1966, civil rights activist James Meredith was shot by a white sniper during his “March Against Fear” in Mississippi. Meredith had begun the solo march from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, to encourage Black voter registration and confront racial intimidation in the South. Only a few days in, he was shot and seriously wounded near Hernando, Mississippi. The attack shocked the nation and galvanized major civil rights leaders—including Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, and Floyd McKissick—to continue the march. It attracted thousands, ultimately registering over 4,000 Black voters. Meredith recovered and rejoined the march by its conclusion. The event marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, particularly with Carmichael’s first public use of the phrase “Black Power,” signaling a shift toward a more assertive tone in the struggle for racial justice.

James Meredith, the first Black student to integrate the University of Mississippi, was shot and wounded by a white sniper near Hernando, Mississippi. Meredith was on a solo 220-mile \”March Against Fear\” from Memphis to Jackson to encourage Black voter registration and protest racial violence. His shooting galvanized civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, and Floyd McKissick, who continued the march with thousands of supporters. This march became a pivotal moment in the movement, marking the first public use of the slogan \”Black Power\” by Carmichael. Meredith recovered and rejoined the march on its final day.

On June 7, 1966, civil rights activist James Meredith was shot by a sniper in Mississippi during his “March Against Fear,” a solo walk from Memphis to Jackson intended to challenge racism and encourage Black voter registration. Though wounded, Meredith survived. His shooting galvanized leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael, who continued the march, helping birth the “Black Power” movement. Meredith’s bravery remains a pivotal act of resistance in civil rights history.