University Sponsoring ‘Sites of Resistance, Sites of Healing’

By Edwin B. Smith

University of Mississippi

In connection with the commemoration of 60 years of integration at the University of Mississippi, the public is invited for a tour of sites in Mississippi to reflect on the legacy of the civil rights movement.

“Sites of Resistance, Sites of Healing” is scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 4). The trip is open to all Ole Miss students, faculty and staff, and the Lafayette-Oxford-University community. The registration deadline is Wednesday (Feb. 1) and space is limited. 

A $20 deposit is required to reserve a spot. Information on how to submit the nonrefundable deposit will be sent to those who are accepted to participate. To apply, complete this form.

“We wanted to provide the campus and community with the opportunity to learn more about people like James Meredith who have contributed to the legacy of the civil rights movement in Mississippi,” said Castel V. Sweet, director of community engagement. “The goals are for participants to gain a more intimate understanding of the courage, knowledge, opportunities and perseverance of those who have contributed to the civil rights movement to make Mississippi, and the country, a better place for all.”

Beginning at 7 a.m., participants will travel to Jackson, stopping at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, where they will learn about the history of the movement in the state between 1945 and 1970. They also will visit Jackson State University to see the Council of Federated Organizations, or COFO, Civil Rights Education Center and the Margaret Walker Center. 

Besides contributing to the legacy of African American history and culture, COFO aided in organizing the 1963 Freedom Vote, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project, the latter an attempt to register as many African American voters as possible in the state. 

The tour group will return to Oxford by 7 p.m.