1967 – Black Students Protest Segregation at University of Mississippi

On June 4, 1967, Black students at the University of Mississippi organized a large protest demanding racial justice, full integration, and equal treatment on campus. This protest occurred five years after James Meredith had integrated the university in 1962, but many barriers to equity still remained. Black students called for more Black faculty, the establishment of an African American studies program, and an end to daily racism on campus. The protest marked a broader trend of student-led activism throughout the 1960s, particularly among historically white institutions in the South. It was a pivotal moment in Mississippi\’s slow transition away from Jim Crow-era policies and an example of youth organizing pushing academic institutions toward inclusivity. Though slow-moving, the demonstration helped pave the way for incremental changes in hiring, curriculum, and campus climate across many southern universities.