The University of Mississippi is proceeding with plans to add a plaque explaining the historical context of a statue of a Confederate soldier on the Oxford campus. The plaque will state that the statue was erected in 1906 to honor veterans of the Confederate Army at a time when many were very old. The inscription will also include a statement that the statue was where those who were opposed to the admission of African American James Meredith to the university in 1962 rallied and then rioted.
The inscription will conclude that “this historic structure is a reminder of the University’s past and of its current and ongoing commitment to open its hallowed halls to all who seek truth and knowledge and wisdom.”
Last fall the university decided to discontinue flying the current Mississippi state flag that had flew near the statue. The Mississippi state flag includes a Confederate battle flag in one corner.
