{"id":16116,"date":"2012-09-28T15:57:11","date_gmt":"2012-09-28T20:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/?p=16116"},"modified":"2014-09-23T08:31:25","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T13:31:25","slug":"u-s-attorney-general-confident-in-um-students-ability-to-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/u-s-attorney-general-confident-in-um-students-ability-to-lead\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Attorney General Confident in UM Students’ Ability to Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"
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U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (left) answers questions from Dean Douglass Sullivan-Gonzales about various topics, including section five of the Voting Rights Act, the civil rights of Arab-Americans in a post-9\/11 world and same-sex marriage. Holder spoke at the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College fall convocation Thursday evening at the Ford Center on the University of Mississippi campus. UM photo by Nathan Latil.<\/p><\/div>\n

Eric H. Holder Jr. speaks at Honors College fall convocation<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 Students have a solemn obligation and breathtaking opportunity to continue the unfinished work of civil rights, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said Thursday night (Sept. 27) at the University of Mississippi.<\/p>\n

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Holder’s keynote address at the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College’s annual fall convocation, “1962-2012: A Reflection on Civil Rights in America,” continued the commemoration of the university’s golden anniversary of integration.<\/p>\n

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The attorney general said it was a privilege to join so many people in celebrating the 50th anniversary of James Meredith’s admission at Ole Miss \u2013 and rededicating to the continuing struggle for equal rights, equal opportunity and equal justice.<\/p>\n

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“For more than 160 years, this campus and its students have felt the impact \u2013 and, too often, borne the scars \u2013 of some of the most turbulent moments in our nation’s history,” Holder told his audience in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts.Chancellor Dan Jones called on the community to reflect on the important issues.<\/p>\n

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“As we look back, we acknowledge the years of injustice endured by Mr. James Meredith and countless others, express regret and offer our apology for the injustice,” Jones said. “We take this opportunity to recommit ourselves to open doors of opportunity to this university for everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity. We also acknowledge that we still live in an imperfect world. So we pledge to continue our efforts at righting wrongs and to continue our pilgrimage toward full reconciliation.”<\/p>\n

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As the first African-American attorney general, Holder recalled watching as Meredith enrolled at the university and noted how far it has progressed from that day.<\/p>\n

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