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january 21?

James Meredith requests application from the Registrar at the University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss").

	jan 21? Meredith's request for an application
	jan 26 Letter to Meredith from the Registrar, Robert B. Ellis
	jan 29 Meredith's letter to Thurgood Marshall

 

january 31

Meredith submits application for admission to Ole Miss.

jan 31 Meredith's letter to Robert B. Ellis

 

february 4

Ole Miss Registrar sends telegram to Meredith saying that his application was received too late for consideration.

	feb 4 Registrar's telegram to Meredith
	feb 7 Meredith's letter to the U.S. Justice Department

may 25

Ole Miss Registrar formally rejects Meredith's application.
 

may 31

NAACP and Meredith take case to court.

	june 8 Deposition of James Meredith
	june 12 Hearing in Biloxi, Mississippi

 

january 24

Trial begins in Federal District Court of Judge Sidney C. Mize.

february 3

Judge Mize finds that Meredith has failed to prove that the University had a policy of denying admission to Negro applicants.

feb 3 Judge Mize's opinion in the Federal Court of Mississippi

june 11 (approximate date)

Criminal charges instituted against Meredith in Hinds County for false voter registration application, based on the claim that Meredith had registered as a resident of Hinds County when he was, in fact, a resident of Attala County

june 13

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejects charge as "frivolous" and prohibits the criminal proceeding against Meredith.

june 25

Fifth Circuit Court finds that Meredith has been rejected solely because of race; Mize decision reversed.

july 18 - august

Legal maneuverings with the Fifth Circuit Court's orders "stayed" by Judge B.F. Cameron, a dedicated segregationist who was a member of the Court but did not sit on the case, and the other justices on the Court issuing orders "vacating" Cameron's stays.

august 31

Justice Dept. submits memo to Supreme Court (first Kennedy Administration action in case) asking Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black to set aside Cameron's stays.

september 5

Instructions given to James McShane, Chief U.S. Marshal, to start organizing marshals for possible action in Mississippi.  

september 10

Justice Black sets aside stays and orders Meredith admitted.

september 13

Judge Mize issues injunction to University of Mississippi not to block Meredith's admission.

Mississippi Governor Barnett, via statewide TV and radio states, "We will not surrender to the evil and illegal forces of tyranny."

sept 13 Governor Barnett's Proclamation to the People of Mississippi (address via TV and radio)

september 15

Attorney General Robert Kennedy calls Governor Barnett to work out details of Meredith's admission.

sept 16 Editorial: The Memphis Commercial Appeal

september 18

Mississippi Legislature gives Governor Barnett its vote of confidence.

september 20

Meredith tried in absentia for false voter registration, convicted and sentenced to one year and $100. Charge involves "moral turpitude."

The Mississippi legislature passes a bill prohibiting enrollment at any institution of higher learning of students who have been convicted of criminal charges involving moral turpitude.

U.S. Justice Department works with Tom Watkins, attorney and friend of Governor Barnett, to have Meredith's arrest warrant rescinded.

Mississippi Board of Trustees for Ole Miss gives Governor Barnett full powers as Registrar.

Meredith makes a first attempt to register at Ole Miss campus in Oxford. Governor Barnett personally blocks his way.

Federal District Court orders Mississippi Board of Trustees and university's top three officials to appear at a contempt hearing.

september 24

Court of Appeals says that the Board and officials are in contempt, but withholds judgment when they agree to register Meredith.
 

september 25

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issues a restraining order against Governor Barnett telling him not to interfere with Meredith's registration.

Governor Barnett blocks Meredith's entry to College Board office in second attempt to register. Court of Appeals orders Barnett to show cause on September 28 why he should not be held in contempt.

september 26

Lieutenant Governor Paul B. Johnson prevents Meredith from enrolling; Fifth Circuit Appeals Court orders Johnson to appear at contempt hearing September 29.

september 27

morning
Governor Barnett proposes face-saving plan to Attorney General Robert Kennedy (through Tom Watkins) -- if U.S. Marshals draw guns on Barnett, he will step aside.

early evening
Governor Barnett reports to Attorney General Robert Kennedy that he can't handle crowd. Face-saving plan is called off; Meredith convoy turned back to Memphis.

	sept 27 Statement by U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy
	sept 27 Letter from a Mississippi Methodist minister to Attorney General Robert Kennedy
	sept 27 Telegram to the President from Alabama Governor John Patterson

september 28

Governor Barnett found guilty of civil contempt and ordered by Court of Appeals to clear himself or face arrest and fine of $10,000 per day.

	sept 28 Memo for the President from Special Counsel to the President Theodore Sorensen
	sept 28 Telegram to the President from Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
	sept 28 Telegram to the President from James Farmer, National Director, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

september 29

President Kennedy issues proclamation calling on government and people of Mississippi to "cease and desist" all their obstructing actions and to "disperse and retire peaceably forthwith." Court of Appeals declares Lieutenant Governor Johnson in contempt and orders fine of $5,000 a day unless he obeys the Court's desegregation orders.

afternoon
Several phone calls between President Kennedy and Governor Barnett to arrange for Meredith's registration.

	sept 28 or 29 Telephone conversation between Mississippi Governor Barnett and President John F. Kennedy
	sept 28 or 29 Telephone conversation between Mississippi Governor Barnett, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and President John F. Kennedy
	sept 29 Telegram to the President from the Governor of Hawaii

 

september 30

after midnight
President Kennedy federalizes the Mississippi National Guard. U.S. Army troops dispatched to Memphis by President Kennedy to stand in reserve in the event they are needed.

8:45 am
Governor Barnett calls Attorney General Robert Kennedy urging him to postpone Meredith's arrival. Attorney General Kennedy refuses, threatens to expose Barnett's broken promise on secret registration of Meredith. Barnett says to fly Meredith in this afternoon and say nothing about deal (two more phone calls over next couple of hours confirm the arrangements). Barnett states that Mississippi Highway patrol will cooperate.

	sept 30 Telephone conversation between Mississippi Governor Barnett and President John F. Kennedy
	sept 30 Telephone conversation between Mississippi Governor Barnett and President John F. Kennedy
	sept 30 Press release from the White House: text of telegram from President Kennedy to Governor Barnett
	sept 30 Press release from the White House: Executive Order
	sept 30 News conference with Assistant Press Secretary Andrew T. Hatcher
	sept 30 Telegram to the President from South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond

1-4 pm
U.S. Justice Department officials and federal marshals arrive on Ole Miss campus.

4:26 pm
U.S. Marshals line up in front of and on north side of Lyceum Hall on curb. Groups of state police in street. Crowd small. Chief U.S. Marshal James McShane in command.

4:33 pm
Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach tells Chief U.S. Marshal McShane to bring in rest of marshals from airport and to take some men to Baxter Hall to secure it.

5:30 pm
Crowd of about 400 people in front of Lyceum Hall. No major disturbance.

6:05 pm
Meredith lands at airport.

6:15 pm
Convoy with Meredith enter campus.

6:30 pm
Meredith at Baxter Hall.

7:00 pm (approximate time)
Large crowd begins to surge close to Lyceum Hall and starts throwing rocks.

7:34 pm
FBI advises that Mississippi Highway Patrol is pulling out. Only a few remain.

7:40 pm
Mississippi State Senator Yarborough, at Lyceum Hall, is told by Governor Barnett not to let Mississippi Highway Patrol leave campus.

7:40 pm
Senator Yarborough attempts to calm crowd. A number of Highway Patrolmen reappear.

7:45 pm - 7:58 pm
U.S. Marshals hit by bricks, bottles, lead pipe. Tear gas fired by marshals.

8:00 pm
President Kennedy in nation-wide TV broadcast says laws must be obeyed and peace preserved.

sept 30 President Kennedy's original speech with notes

8:00 pm (approximate time)
Paul Guihard, French journalist, killed.

8:58 pm
U.S. Marshals running out of tear gas.

9:02 pm
Mississippi State Highway Patrol pulls out.

9:23 pm
A marshal shot through leg.

9:42 pm
State trooper badly hurt.

9:45 pm
President Kennedy calls Governor Barnett -- asks to get Highway Patrol back on job.

9:50 pm
Deputy Attorney General Katzenbach calls local National Guard on behalf of President Kennedy and tells them to go to Oxford, Mississippi.

10:00 pm
Katzenbach tells President Kennedy that he will need to bring in troops. Gunfire spreading.

10:10 pm
Only 67 local National Guardsmen available.

10:13 pm
U.S. Army regulars, ordered earlier to Oxford, flying from Memphis, are not yet airborne.

11:00 pm (approximate time)
Ray Hunter killed.
 

october 1

2:17 am
U.S. Army soldiers finally arrive at Lyceum Hall.

7:55 am
U.S. Justice Department Attorney John Doar escorts Meredith to Lyceum Hall to register.

9 am
Registration complete.

	oct 1 Telephone conversation between General Creighton Abrams and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy
	oct 1 Telephone conversation between Mississippi Governor Barnett and President John F. Kennedy
	oct 1 News conference with Press Secretary Pierre Salinger
	oct 3 House Concurrent Resolution 18, adopted by the Mississippi State House of Representatives
	oct Letter to President Kennedy from an attorney from Birmingham, Alabama
	oct 12 Circular Field Message gauging foreign reaction to the events
	nov 19 Memo from Special Assistant for Public Information Edwin Guthman to Special Assistant to the President Timothy Reardon