<Tr> <Th> Education </Th> <Td> University of Mississippi Columbia Law School, LL. B . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Known for </Th> <Td> First black student at the University of Mississippi </Td> </Tr> <P> James Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) is an African - American Civil Rights Movement figure, writer, political adviser and Air Force veteran . In 1962, he became the first African - American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, after the intervention of the federal government, an event that was a flashpoint in the Civil Rights Movement . Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi . His goal was to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans . </P> <P> In 1966 Meredith planned a solo 220 - mile March Against Fear from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi; he wanted to highlight continuing racism in the South and encourage voter registration after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . He did not want major civil rights organizations involved . The second day, he was shot by a white gunman and suffered numerous wounds . Leaders of major organizations vowed to complete the march in his name after he was taken to the hospital . While Meredith was recovering, more people from across the country became involved as marchers . He rejoined the march and when Meredith and other leaders entered Jackson on June 26, they were leading an estimated 15,000 marchers, in what was the largest civil rights march in Mississippi . During the course of it, more than 4,000 African Americans had registered to vote, and the march was a catalyst to continued community organizing and additional registration . </P>

First african american student at university of mississippi