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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview with Joseph Meredith, James Meredith
Aired April 28, 2002 - 08:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, nearly 40 years ago James Meredith helped tear down the walls of segregation at a major southern university.
In the fall of 1962, escorted by U.S. marshals and National Guardsmen, he became the first African-American to attend classes at the University of Mississippi. Angry mobs tried to block Meredith's enrollment and clashed with federal troops.
Integrating one of the south's flagship schools proved to be a major victory, though, for the civil rights movement. It also helped open the door to countless other African-Americans seeking to better themselves.
Among those who walked the bath blazed by Meredith is none other than his son, Joseph Meredith, who has been named a distinguished graduate student at the University of Mississippi.
Next month, he'll also receive a Ph.D. in business administration.
Joseph Meredith and his father both join us now from Mississippi.
Gentlemen, good morning.
Can you hear me OK? OK. Good. I think we have to pump up your mic a little bit there, James. You hear me OK? James, can you hear me all right? James?
JAMES MEREDITH, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I can't distinguish too much.
But I want to say, first of all?
PHILLIPS: Can you hear me, James?
JAMES MEREDITH: I can now.
PHILLIPS: You can hear me now, well?
OK. James, first of all, let's get your reaction -- your son, following in your footsteps. He's now graduating with honors. How proud are you of this young man?
JAMES MEREDITH: Well, it's the vindication of my life, my entire life.
But first of all, you referred to me as an African-American. I'm not an African-American, I'm a native American. If you're going to call me anything other than that, just call me black.
Actually, my goal 40 years ago was to break the legal and official system of white supremacy in Mississippi so that me and my kind could become anything that we were capable of being in this country.
And basically, what is happening here, next week, is a vindication of my entire life, and all of the struggle. And I tell you, it was a struggle.
PHILLIPS: I'll tell you what, Joseph, I can tell your dad is a tough guy. As you were growing up, as a black man, dealing with what you dealt with, what did your dad tell you as you were growing up? When you were watching or hearing about your dad, hearing the stories about what he did at Ole Miss, what do you remember him telling you as you were growing up?
JOSEPH MEREDITH, U. OF MISSISSIPPI GRAD. STUDENT: His only words were really about the fact that this was really a plan of his, and that is, there was a system of I guess overt racism. While there were some laws out there, the main thing that was happening was intimidation through violence. And obviously his goal was to end that violence and to allow blacks and others to attend all white schools.
So that was the main thing. Nothing, I would say, sentimental or any advice about how to deal with racism itself.
PHILLIPS: James, take us back to 1962. What gave you the strength to keep pushing and to do what you did?
JAMES MEREDITH: Well, you got to remember that I was fighting a war, and my goal was the total destruction of white supremacy and all of its side effects.
And the -- so it wasn't about being able to have the courage to do it. I mean, as far as I was concerned, I was dead. Most people were concentrating on dying. I was dead, because I could not live as a full citizen in this country.
So that -- it was only to me to win the war or lose the war.
PHILLIPS: Joseph, do you feel in any way that you're still fighting your dad's war?
JOSEPH MEREDITH: I would say yes. Basically, again, well -- today, there's a system, I guess you would say, it's a very covert system that's in place now. That is, while the supply of qualified, educated blacks are there, schools like Ole Miss have a large number of students that are black and other -- well, mainly black, that attend the school. And the university does not discourage them from coming. But the problem is at the next level. That is, once you have your degree, be it undergraduate or graduate, obviously, in order to advance socially and economically, you need to be able to get a job. And I've found that while I've been able to receive an excellent education here, as I entered the job market I found that predominantly white institutions do not seem to want to hire black males.
And one of the facts that I throw out is that in 1979, predominantly white schools only had 2.3 percent blacks on their faculty. Today, that number is unchanged at 2.3 percent. So basically there's been no change, no growth, in advancement of qualified, educated blacks.
PHILLIPS: So, James, hearing what your son is saying now -- Joseph is talking about another battle here, and that is getting hired, getting in the job market. Mostly white dominating specific fields. What would your advice be to your son now? It seems like he's now taking on another era. You were fighting to integrate, now your son is taking on another battle. What is your advice?
JAMES MEREDITH: Well, not just my son, but everyone who is not in a position to enjoy the privileges of white supremacy, got to know that this fight is not yet over. In fact, it is more vicious now, because it is largely unseen, than it was before.
You've got to understand that segregation in pure Jim Crowism was easy to determine, but what is happening now -- in fact, the average black male in America is absolutely being put completely out of business in this country, and we have more serious problems today than we did 40 years ago.
PHILLIPS: James Meredith, first to integrate the University of Mississippi, we commend you sir, and thank you for coming on, and we congratulate your son, Joseph. Thank you so much for sharing the second part of this historic battle with us. We appreciate your time.
JOSEPH MEREDITH: Thank you.
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