Steps in the Right Direction

Former chancellor George Walton speaking at the "Ole Miss After The Crisis" presentation at the Overby Center.

Michael Quirk

10/4/12

Jour 271

Overby Speech

441 Words

            UNIVERSITY, Miss. – Today was a day for celebrating the strides that Ole Miss has made towards racial equality while also remembering the strife along the way.

            The University of Mississippi opened their doors for James Meredith on September 30, 1962. Escorted by US Marshalls, Meredith was blasted with thrown objects and unwelcome opinions voice by the disgruntled mass the campus. A riot broke out on campus, leaving two people dead. It is an unusual thing; the darkest day in Ole Miss history is also the most important one. A premier Mississippi education was not just for the white kids anymore.

            Chancellor Dan Jones began the presentation by briefly speaking of the importance of integration at the school, before introducing famed Ole Miss historian David Sansing. A Professor Emeritus of History at Ole Miss, Sansing gave background on the history of integration at the university and the progress that has been made since. After a brief background, Sansing gave way to George Walton.

            Walton, a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, received his PhD from Ole Miss. The Mississippi native was a junior faculty member when he signed a controversial document stating that the US Marshalls did not start the riot.

            A former acting chancellor of Ole Miss, Walton knows all too well the history of race problems at the school. He spoke of white-on-black vandalism as well as human-wall intimidation.

            “We have a lot to be guilty for,” Walton said. “But we also have a celebration of what we should be doing.”

            Walton gave way to Donald Cole, the assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor concerning minority affairs at Ole Miss. Cole earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in math from Ole Miss. Cole entered college in 1968, a mere six years after Meredith. Despite being a Mississippi native, Cole was not fully aware of the troubles that still faced Ole Miss.

            “I was not aware that there were students and faculty here who still had not worked with African-Americans,” Cole said.

            Valerie Ross, the assistant dean of student affairs, spoke after Cole. Ross spoke of the gospel choir at the school, which has grown in size and diversity. Ross said that she was proud of the school for having a black homecoming queen and ASB president.

            “I liked seeing her emotion,” said student Chase Dickerson about Ross’s passion for the gospel choir.

            While there have been problems at the school, Walton spoke of the positive horizon for Ole Miss.

“We have come a long way, we have a long way to go, and it’s only going to get better.”