Day two of the Civil Rights and College Tour certainly did not disappoint. Following an enlightening discussion with Mr. DeBerry yesterday evening, today we made visits to the University of Mississippi where we were hosted by the William Winter Institute of Racial Reconciliation in Oxford, Mississippi. We began our day at the William Winter Institute with Dr. Jennifer Stollman, a history professor, who led a very passionate discussion with us about civil rights in Mississippi but more specifically the role of “Ole Miss.” One thing, we learned was that the University’s nickname is a symbol of the Old South, the name slaves called their master’s wives. Dr. Stollman explained that it is for this reason that some professors in the Liberal Arts department never refer to their University as “Ole Miss.” She then led us on an educational and exciting tour of the campus which included a visit the Confederate Memorial and the statue of James Meredith. Dr. Stollman discussed the riots that surrounded the time when James Meredith sought entrance into the University of Mississippi. We learned that even after the National Guard tear gassed the crowd, the protestors were so adamant about keeping “Ole Miss” segregated that they were not deterred one bit. Dr. Stollman’s tour ended at the statue and monument honoring James Meredith. Our next stop was the University’s library where our tour guide, whose name was also Jennifer, gave us a tour of the library’s archives. She made available to us several primary source documents, including hateful and encouraging mail sent to James Meredith, Ku Klux Klan newsletters, and a logbook documenting the death and marriages of African American slaves. Another captivating artifact she also shared was a book published in 1494 that was in better condition than a book published in 1962. The reason for this was that paper was originally made out of cotton in comparison to the current use of wood pulp. The use of wood pulp is less expensive, but it breaks down faster. She explained how to use the library’s digital archives and how written works are digitized. Our day ended with us being treated to dinner at a Greek restaurant called Volta Taverna. Greek food was a new experience for all of us; however, we definitely enjoyed ourselves and ate well! Tomorrow, we are off to the Mississippi Delta which will include stops in Clarksdale and Belzoni. Kennedey Thrasher, 7th Grade James Simmon, 8th Grade Madisyn Robinson, 8th Grade
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:48:54 +0000