Preview
Creation Date
4-3-1953
Description
"Blind Jim" Ivy stands in front of the Lyceum, holding a sign that reads: Blind Jim, Ole Miss Dean of Freshmen, 50 years on the road with the Rebels. A Donation will keep him traveling with the team. Blind Jim Ivy became an integral part of the University of Mississippi in 1896. Ivy was born in 1870, and was the son of African slave Matilda Ivy. He moved from Alabama to Mississippi in 1890. Ivy was blinded in his early teens when coal tar paint got into his eyes while painting the Tallahatchie River Bridge. Ivy was considered the university’s mascot for many years. He was a member of Second Baptist Church and led efforts to rebuild the church roof. See also: UM News story, Meet James "Blind Jim" Ivy, and Daily Mississippian story, James "Blind Jim" Ivy: Was a Black Man the inspiration for Colonel Reb? (Apr. 18, 2024)
Relational Format
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