Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Iandgt;and#8220;I am not a civil rights hero. I am a warrior, and I am on a mission from God.and#8221; and#8212;James Meredithandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;James Meredith engineered two of the most epic events of the American civil rights era: the desegregation of the University of Mississippi in 1962, which helped open the doors of education to all Americans; and the March Against Fear in 1966, which helped open the floodgates of voter registration in the South. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Part memoir, part manifesto, andlt;Iandgt;A Mission from God andlt;/Iandgt;is James Meredithand#8217;s look back at his courageous and action-packed life and his challenge to America to address the most critical issue of our day: how to educate and uplift the millions of black and white Americans who remain locked in the chains of poverty by improving our public education system. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Born on a small farm in Mississippi, Meredith returned home in 1960 after nine years in the U.S. Air Force, with a master plan to shatter the system of state terror and white supremacy in America. He waged a fourteen-month legal campaign to force the state of Mississippi to honor his rights as an American citizen and admit him to the University of Mississippi. He fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. Meredith endured months of death threats, daily verbal abuse, and round-the-clock protection from federal marshals and thousands of troops to became the first black graduate of the University of Mississippi in 1963. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;In 1966 he was shot by a sniper on the second day of his and#8220;Walk Against Fearand#8221; to inspire voter registration in Mississippi. Though Meredith never allied with traditional civil rights groups, leaders of civil rights organizations flocked to help him complete the march, one of the last great marches of the civil rights era. Decades later, Meredith says, and#8220;Now it is time for our next great mission from God. . . . You and I have a divine responsibility to transform America.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;
Review
and#8220;Lively, compelling book . . . . Meredith reminds us how far weand#8217;ve come, and urges us to go further.and#8221; and#8211;andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
"I am not a civil rights hero. I am a warrior, and I am on a mission from God."
"I am not a civil rights hero. I am a warrior, and I am on a mission from God." --James Meredith
James Meredith engineered two of the most epic events of the American civil rights era: the desegregation of the University of Mississippi in 1962, which helped open the doors of education to all Americans; and the March Against Fear in 1966, which helped open the floodgates of voter registration in the South.
Part memoir, part manifesto, A Mission from God is James Meredith's look back at his courageous and action-packed life and his challenge to America to address the most critical issue of our day: how to educate and uplift the millions of black and white Americans who remain locked in the chains of poverty by improving our public education system.
Born on a small farm in Mississippi, Meredith returned home in 1960 after nine years in the U.S. Air Force, with a master plan to shatter the system of state terror and white supremacy in America. He waged a fourteen-month legal campaign to force the state of Mississippi to honor his rights as an American citizen and admit him to the University of Mississippi. He fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. Meredith endured months of death threats, daily verbal abuse, and round-the-clock protection from federal marshals and thousands of troops to became the first black graduate of the University of Mississippi in 1963.
In 1966 he was shot by a sniper on the second day of his "Walk Against Fear" to inspire voter registration in Mississippi. Though Meredith never allied with traditional civil rights groups, leaders of civil rights organizations flocked to help him complete the march, one of the last great marches of the civil rights era. Decades later, Meredith says, "Now it is time for our next great mission from God. . . . You and I have a divine responsibility to transform America."
Synopsis
“I am not a civil rights hero. I am a warrior, and I am on a mission from God.”James Meredith engineered two of the epic social justice victories: the desegregation of the University of Mississippi in 1962, which helped open the doors of education to all Americans; and the March Against Fear in 1966, which helped open the floodgates of voter registration in the South. One of the most enigmatic figures of post-war U.S. history, Meredith reveals how these milestones in Civil Rights history were achieved, and why he has dedicated his life to education and human rights for all.
A Mission From God is a narrative of turbulent, history-changing events, and encounters with striking American characters like Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, Mary McCloud Bethune, segregationist Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett, Thurgood Marshall, former Klan leader David Duke, and the legendary Medgar Evers.
In A Mission From God we see how Meredith emerges as a former member of US Air Force who simply wants an education in his home state. It was James Meredith who waged the legal battle with the University of Mississippi which forced the institution to desegregate.
September 2012 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the integration of the University of Mississippi, Meredith’s story becomes a powerful illuminating message—a manifesto for a better world.
Synopsis
“I am not a civil rights hero. I am a warrior, and I am on a mission from God.” —James Meredith James Meredith engineered two of the most epic events of the American civil rights era: the desegregation of the University of Mississippi in 1962, which helped open the doors of education to all Americans; and the March Against Fear in 1966, which helped open the floodgates of voter registration in the South.
Part memoir, part manifesto, A Mission from God is James Meredith’s look back at his courageous and action-packed life and his challenge to America to address the most critical issue of our day: how to educate and uplift the millions of black and white Americans who remain locked in the chains of poverty by improving our public education system.
Born on a small farm in Mississippi, Meredith returned home in 1960 after nine years in the U.S. Air Force, with a master plan to shatter the system of state terror and white supremacy in America. He waged a fourteen-month legal campaign to force the state of Mississippi to honor his rights as an American citizen and admit him to the University of Mississippi. He fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. Meredith endured months of death threats, daily verbal abuse, and round-the-clock protection from federal marshals and thousands of troops to became the first black graduate of the University of Mississippi in 1963.
In 1966 he was shot by a sniper on the second day of his “Walk Against Fear” to inspire voter registration in Mississippi. Though Meredith never allied with traditional civil rights groups, leaders of civil rights organizations flocked to help him complete the march, one of the last great marches of the civil rights era. Decades later, Meredith says, “Now it is time for our next great mission from God. . . . You and I have a divine responsibility to transform America.”
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;James Meredith andlt;/bandgt;was born on a small farm in Mississippi in 1933 and served in the United States Air Force for nine years. Meredith risked his life when he successfully applied the laws of integration and became the first black student at the University of Mississippi. He earned a law degree at Columbia University Law School and became an entrepreneur, speaker and conservative activist. He is the author of the critically acclaimed andlt;Iandgt;Three Years in Mississippiandlt;/iandgt;. Today James Meredith is a tree farmer and grandfather in Jackson, Mississippi, helping to raise his grandchildren. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt;William Doyle andlt;/bandgt;is the award-winning author of andlt;Iandgt;Inside the Oval Office: The White House Tapes; An American Insurrection: the Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962; andlt;/iandgt;and andlt;Iandgt;A Soldierandrsquo;s Dream: Captain Travis Patriquin and the Awakening of Iraq andlt;/iandgt;(Penguin, June 2011). He lives in New York.William Doyle is the coauthor, with former US Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, of andlt;iandgt;American Gun: A History of the US in Ten Firearmsandlt;/iandgt;. His other books include andlt;iandgt;A Soldierandrsquo;s Dream: Captain Travis Patriquin and the Awakening of Iraqandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; An American Insurrectionandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Inside the Oval Officeandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;A Mission from God andlt;/iandgt;(with James Meredith). He served as director of original programming for HBO, and he is co-producer of the PBS special andlt;iandgt;Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story.andlt;/iandgt;