The Overby Center Auditorium features David Sansing

David Sansing, Gerald Walton, and Donald Cole bring their attention to
Valerie Ross as she speaks of her proud moments on the Ole Miss
campus.

Paige Gustafson

JOUR 271

4 October 2012

443 Words

The Ole Miss Community Looks at Integration in a Positive Light

            UNIVERSITY, Miss.— Since the day the University of Mississippi enrolled its first African American student, James Meredith, history was made nationwide and racial progress ignited campus by storm. With this week marking Ole Miss’ 50^th year of integration, the Ole Miss community has a lot to be proud of.

             Author and historian David Sansing led a discussion with a panelist of three campus figures Thursday evening, at the Overby Center Auditorium, elaborating on Ole Miss’ long journey of racial progression.

             Those included in the panelist were Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs Donald Cole, Dean of Students Valerie Ross, and retired Provost and Interim Chancellor Gerald Walton. Sansing couldn’t have been more proud in honoring these influential figures.

            “I cant think of any three people that can more appropriately talk about where Ole Miss was and where it is now and where we hope for it to be in the future,” said Sansing.

            Both Walton and Cole were present at the university when much integration took place. In fact, Walton related back to an event of the Literary Festival in 1965, where members of the Southern Literary Council, who were not yet integrated, came in attendance from Tupelo and later found there van vandalized at the event. Needless to say, they did not feel welcomed as African Americans on campus.

            “Yes it’s true that we have a lot to be guilty of,” said Walton, “but the best we can do is go and sin no more.”

            As an African American, Cole remembers exactly what it was like being a freshman at Ole Miss in 1968. By this time, Ole Miss had already been thoroughly integrated, but Cole and other African Americans still felt uncomfortable. “We wanted individuals to serve us the same way everyone else was being served,” said Cole. Despite Cole’s feelings of neglect as an African American student, he still had always looked at Ole Miss in a positive light. 

            “The University of Mississippi has always attracted good students, students with promise,” said Cole.

            Events for the 50^th year of integration have made Ross incredibly proud towards the Ole Miss community. Looking forward without regrets of the past is the best thing a university with so much history could do.

“The University has done something very difficult these passed few months, and I really applaud the leaders for that work,” said Ross.

            Courtney Collins, sophomore business major, was intrigued by each and every one of the speaker’s roles in history. “After hearing what all they had to say I now recognize how far Ole Miss has come and I am so proud that I’m part of this community,” said Collins.