Brown lit a spark of hope in a generation of brave men, women, and children who took the struggle for equal education to the all-white schools and colleges of the South. In 1961, James Meredith's application to the University of Mississippi touched off a firestorm of protest. When Meredith's application was denied, he filed suit against the University contending that he was denied because of race. Meredith requested guidance from Medgar Evers, the NAACP field secretary for the NAACP, who referred him to Thurgood Marshall and the Justice Department. In 1962, Judge Sidney Mize ordered the University to admit him.

Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett opposed the decision, appointed himself the university registrar, and refused to admit Meredith. Meredith's attempts to enroll were blocked by the highway patrol, sheriffs, and city police. The state's defiance of a court order forced President Kennedy to intervene. He dispatched federal marshals and 6,000 troops to take Meredith to the Ole Miss campus. Riots broke out in protest, but the troops restored order and Meredith registered the next day. He graduated from Ole Miss in August 1963.

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James Meredith
Ross Barnett
John Kennedy
Sidney Mize
Medgar Evers