{"id":112724,"date":"2022-09-22T14:15:36","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T19:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/?p=112724"},"modified":"2022-09-29T15:20:23","modified_gmt":"2022-09-29T20:20:23","slug":"library-events-commemorate-60th-anniversary-of-integration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/library-events-commemorate-60th-anniversary-of-integration\/","title":{"rendered":"Library Events Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Integration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An archival image from the ‘Paving the Path: James Meredith and the Integration of the University of Mississippi’ exhibit provides a glimpse into the past as the university prepares to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Meredith’s enrollment. Photo by Ryan Whittington\/UM Marketing and Communications, archival image courtesy Department of Archives and Special Collections<\/p><\/div>\n

OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 The University of Mississippi Libraries<\/a>‘ Department of Archives and Special Collections is commemorating the university’s 1962 integration with two lectures and an ongoing exhibit.<\/p>\n

The lectures offer a one-of-a-kind historical perspective and new digital scholarship exploring the response to the integration.<\/p>\n

From the Depths of the Archives<\/strong><\/p>\n

The materials lining the Department of Archives and Special Collections<\/a>‘ display cases bring to life the story of the university’s turbulent integration: Empty tear gas canisters. Military passes. Edits scrawled on a reporter’s telegraphed manuscript.<\/p>\n

The exhibit, “Paving the Path: James Meredith and the Integration of the University of Mississippi<\/a>,” displays documents, photographs and artifacts from the UM Libraries collections.<\/p>\n

“When people see primary source documents, there’s an ‘aha’ moment,” said Greg Johnson, head of special collections, blues curator and professor. “When we see a tangible example of something from the past, we see it more concretely than we might if we had only read about it, allowing us to get closer to feeling the full weight.”<\/p>\n

The exhibit is a collaborative effort and includes cases curated by Johnson; Jennifer Ford, senior curator of manuscripts and professor; Leigh McWhite, political papers archivist; Danielle Townsend, special collections librarian (audiovisual); and Lauren Rogers, library specialist. Each display case has a unique theme.<\/p>\n

One case is dedicated to James Meredith, his early life, the experiences he encountered leading up to his enrollment. Another case centers on UM’s previous commemorative activities, examining how the university has changed over the years. Yet another explores professors’ responses to the integration, including vocal supporter James Silver, a historian and author of “Mississippi: The Closed Society.”<\/p>\n

The materials draw from the University Libraries’ extensive collection of artifacts, documents and images related to the integration, a portion of which can be accessed in the eGrove: Integration of the University of Mississippi collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Greg Johnson, head of special collections, blues curator and professor at the UM Libraries, works on an exhibit case in the Department of Archives and Special Collections. Photo by Thomas Graning\/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/p><\/div>\n

The thousands of rare documents included among the library’s integration-related collections include telegrams, correspondence and letters from individuals such as President John F. Kennedy, Josephine Baker, Malcolm X and others; underground student newspapers; and photos taken on campus during the integration and riot.<\/p>\n

“Paving the Path” opened Sept. 19 and will remain open through March 2023. It is housed in the Seymour Lawrence Room on the third floor of the J.D. Williams Library, within the Department of Archives and Special Collections.<\/p>\n

The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, except on university holidays.<\/p>\n

The full list of case displays features:<\/p>\n