Our world is full of legends and icons. These are people who have dared to change the world as we know it. When I think of living legends, I think of Ronald Reagan, Michael Jordan and Aretha Franklin. When I think of icons, I think of Angela Davis, Billy Graham and Pope John Paul II. When I think of both, someone who is a legend and an icon, I think of James Meredith.
James Meredith, the first student to integrate higher education in the state of Mississippi, was, and still is, an outstanding man. Meredith braved racism, oppression and fear in order to attain an equal and adequate education. Had it not been for Meredith, many students, including myself, would not be at schools such as Mississippi State University or Ole Miss.
One has to recognize Meredith for his accomplishments. Not only did Meredith integrate the University of Mississippi, but he went on to graduate from Ole Miss and attain both a master’s and doctorate degree.
Like many of the students, administrators and community members in attendance Wednesday night, I was shocked at Meredith’s speech. Many people wanted Meredith to speak on the history of our state. Many wanted to hear about the difficulty of integration and about the courage it took to withstand the hate he encountered. Many people wanted to be uplifted and inspired from Meredith’s speech. Instead, many people were let down and greatly disappointed.
I was pleased that Meredith acted out of the box and did not do as was expected of him. Integration happened more than 30 years ago. I am sure Meredith has spoken numerous times about his integration experiences all around the nation; he even wrote several books about it. While I did not expect Meredith to speak about integration, I did not expect him to degrade African-Americans, insult MSU students, and ramble on unpreparedly about citizenship.
Meredith’s speech was unplanned, unprofessional and embarrassing. If an individual speaks publicly for a living, he or she should be prepared. Meredith spoke to a packed house Wednesday night and delivered a speech that was two pages long.
In his speech, Meredith praised the founding fathers of our nation. He called George Washington the greatest American and discussed why Washington believed in equality for all people. Lies and fabrications, if one asks me. If Washington believed that all men were created equal, why did he own slaves? According to Meredith, Washington was not only a great American, but he was also a great hypocrite.
Meredith went on to discuss the issue of citizenship. Meredith said the reason Ole Miss students and MSU students hated one another in the ’60s was because MSU students were second-class citizens.
Meredith’s speech continued by addressing the issue of black English. Meredith said the reason African-Americans cannot succeed is because they cannot master the English language. As a graduate student of the MSU English department, I say to Meredith, that’s garabage. After hearing Meredith speak, I wonder if he even knows the roots of black English. How much does he really know about Ebonics, a term coined by James Baldwin? Obviously, very little from the sound of his speech. Bad English is bad English. Improper English is improper English. Formal English is not the province of Anglo-Americans, and, incorrect English is not only spoken by African-Americans. Meredith slurred a couple of subjects and verbs in his own speech. Could it be that Meredith is a victim of black English and has failed to master the English language, even though he has a doctorate degree?
Meredith concluded his speech by discussing discrimination. He went as far as to say that there is nothing wrong with discrimination. Meredith is the father of integration. For him to advocate discrimination sounded like blasphemy.
My heart was broken after hearing Meredith. I was disappointed and confused. I still respect Meredith for what he accomplished. I still thank him for striving in spite of fear, racism and hatred so that I may be able to attend the school of my choice. But, after hearing his speech, it is glaringly clear that Meredith’s personal convictions differ greatly from mine.
It is fine for Meredith to be a staunch conservative, a Republican and a supporter of George W. Bush. I did not want, or even expect, to agree with him on every point. However, I did not think he would have insulted me, as an African-American, the way he did. It sounds like Meredith has fallen victim to the faulty logic of our nation’s past. Meredith is a legend and an icon, but after Wednesday night, it is clear, his star burned out a long time ago.