Battle of Oxford

By: Sydney Briscoe

The Effect of the “Battle of Oxford”

Neilson’s department store first opened its doors in 1838, in the small town of Oxford Mississippi, and is now the oldest department store in the South. William Smith Neilson began by selling everything a family could need such as groceries, clothing, hardware, medicine, and much more. Today, Neilson’s sells clothing for men, women, and children, as well as shoes, cosmetics and accessories. There are many people in Oxford who probably remember their first time passing by or going into Neilson’s, with the large windows displaying the newest and most popular clothing at the time. For many, it might be shocking to learn that Neilson’s used to sell such a wide range of products compared to what they do now. It could cause one to think, what did people purchase back in the day? Or more specifically, what were people purchasing on October 1st, 1962? This date is very important to the city of Oxford. It was the day that James Meredith, the first African-American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, walked onto campus to take his first class.

         According to The Price of Defiance, On October 1, 1962 — James Meredith was escorted by U.S. Justice Department agents to the Lyceum at 8:15 in the morning to register for classes at the University of Mississippi. His enrollment made him the first African-American student at Ole Miss–something that was considered extremely controversial at the time in a place that held such strong segregationist beliefs. This enrollment was only the beginning in his difficult struggle in attending the all-white university with deeply-rooted Southern ideologies. “Meredith’s venture at Ole Miss exhibited several characteristics atypical of other desegregation efforts. In his initial overture to the university, Meredith acted alone, not as part of any organized movement; only later did he receive assisted from the Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),” said Eagles. The night before Meredith’s enrollment caused many people to rage with anger, resulting in a deadly riot. A crowd of three thousand white people from across the South gathered at the University; this consisted of high school students, college students, Ku Klux Klan members, Oxford residents, and people outside Oxford. People expressed their anger by throwing rocks, bottles, and even firing guns. President Kennedy eventually became involved, bringing in the Mississippi National Guard and Army troops to control the crowds and protect Meredith. Two people were killed that night, one being a French journalist, and over 300 people were injured. “For Meredith, however, his life continued on for another tumultuous and stressful year as an Ole Miss student. He graduated in August 1963, and after his experience, other black students matriculated more easily”[1] .

         With the school’s increase in applicants, Oxford began to thrive and bustle with people. With many soldiers patrolling the streets of Oxford, it made all the many people in town feel comfortable enough to go shop and explore the town, leading to a very profitable day of business for stores and restaurants on the square. Neilson’s owner, Will Lewis Jr., donated the collection of handwritten ledgers, correspondences and daybooks from the store to the University of Mississippi’s J.D. Williams Library. The volumes are dated from 1870s all the way to the 1990s. Ledger #44 included that many people bought envelopes and other goods from Neilson’s over those two days during and following the riot in 1962. James Meredith and Neilson’s both have a huge impact on the amazing town of Oxford Mississippi.[2]

Statue of James Meredith on the University of Mississippi
Taken by Author

Ledger 44, September 30, 1962 from Neilson’s Collection, Department of Archives and Special Collections, The University of Mississippi Libraries.

Ledger 44, October 1, 1962 – October 3, 1962 from Neilson’s Collection, Department of Archives and Special Collections, The University of Mississippi Libraries.

[1] Eagles, Charles W. The Price of Defiance: James Meredith and the Integration of Ole Miss. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009

[2]Ledger #44. Day Book Ledger. 1956-1965 (Oversized) September 30th1962 and October 1st1962.