Leslie-Burl McLemore speaks to students in the Honors class.

University of Mississippi (UM) students are being challenged to delve deeper into complex issues about the university and state thanks to a special Honors College class designed to explore important topics 60 years after James Meredith’s enrollment as UM’s first Black student.

“I would describe this class as an open dialogue about the past, present, and future of both the university and the state as a whole,” said McKenzie Cox, a journalism and political science double-major from Concord, North Carolina, who is planning to pursue a career in broadcast news reporting and policy analysis.

“I enjoyed learning about the history of the university and the events of 1962, but hearing about modern policy issues in the state, including the fight for Medicaid expansion, the Jackson water crisis, and the welfare scandal is equally impactful and relevant.”

In 2012, UM’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College offered a course called “Opening a Closed Society” that coincided with the 50^th anniversary of James Meredith’s 1962 enrollment. It examined Mississippi’s segregationist era, the civil rights movement, the impact of the Meredith case, and strides UM had made to increase diversity.

This fall, the Honors College offered HONORS 399: The University and the State, 60 Years After the Crisis. Veteran journalist Curtis Wilkie, who retired from teaching at the UM School of Journalism and New Media in 2020, returned to teach the class.

His leadership was fitting because Wilkie was a senior at UM during the events of 1962 that led to a deadly riot on campus and the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to ensure Meredith’s enrollment.

Students in the class have been exploring Mississippi’s past and present. Topics have included brain drain, race relations, and legislative initiatives, as well as government policies that could impact future generations.

The class has also welcomed guest speakers. Cox said having Mississippi Today journalists Adam Ganucheau and Anna Wolfe speak about the welfare scandal and the Jackson water crisis was special.

McKenzie Cox, a journalism and political science double-major from Concord, North Carolina.

“As a journalism major, I was, of course, excited to hear about their reporting,” Cox said, “but I learned even more about how important it is to ask the questions that matter in order to make sure that people in our state have access to critical information needed to make decisions for themselves…

“When I walk around campus, I can now see the history and key events that have taken place all around me that shaped the future of our nation.”

In a recent class, guest speaker Leslie-Burl McLemore, 82, took a seat at the head of a long table of students with Wilkie at the other end and shared observations about the state.

McLemore, a civil rights activist, educator, and politician, once served as a field secretary for the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and as vice-chairman for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, according to his bio published on the Midwestern State University Texas website.

Originally from Walls, Mississippi, McLemore earned a Bachelor’s in Social Science and Economics from Rust College, a Master’s in Political Science from Atlanta University, and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the bio reads.

“I made a decision a long time ago when I was away in graduate school and living in other places that I would come back to Mississippi, and I would remain in Mississippi because I wanted to see Mississippi change,” said McLemore. “That is a strange kind of loyalty in a place where you were treated as a second-class citizen … But on the other hand, you still have this loyalty – you want to see changes made. We have come a very long way, there is no question about it, as a state, we have, in spite of the difficulties …”

Before teaching at Southern University and Jackson State University, McLemore completed postdoc work at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University, according to his bio. At Jackson State, he became the founding chair/professor of political science and dean of the graduate school.

“We have more Black elected officials in Mississippi than any state in the union, but it reflects the population that we have,” he said. “But most of us served in capacities where we really don’t influence basic decision-making because all of the statewide elected officials now are Republicans. And that is going to change over time, but it is going to take a while. It’s going to take greater participation by African Americans …”

You can find a list of those who have been elected to statewide offices in Mississippi here.

McLemore helped found the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy in 1997. He also served as a member of the Jackson City Council for a decade and as interim president of Jackson State University.

“We have made incredible progress,” McLemore said. “We have freedoms that people don’t have in so many other countries. And I fought too hard and put my life on the line years and years ago to see us turn back the clock. I don’t want to see that happen, and I hope you don’t either.

“So get out there and work your butts off. Register to vote. Urge your roommates to vote and become active when you graduate from Ole Miss with this great degree. Go to law school. Go to graduate school. Get married. Build a picket fence. Be involved in your community, whether it is in Montana or Mississippi.”

Kat Moorman, 19, is enrolled in the class. A biology major with a minor in environmental studies, Moorman is passionate about wildlife conservation, particularly amphibians, and would like to attend graduate school to study environmental conservation with an emphasis on herpetology.

Kat Moorman, 19, is majoring in biology with a minor in environmental studies.

“Hearing the history of the University of Mississippi and its issues with the integration crisis from someone who was present during this time has been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything we’ve discussed so far, but one of the most complex and pressing issues we have discussed is that of ‘brain drain’ in Mississippi.

“Seeing that I, myself, have strong opinions on the topic, it has been fruitful for me to hear others’ educated opinions on the matter. That statement applies to every topic we have discussed as a class.”

Moorman said she was aware of the basic history surrounding the university, but she has enjoyed studying issues more in-depth.

“While these topics can be controversial, knowing what is going on in our state government is something I also believe is critical in order to better understand national and even worldwide issues.”

Hannah Harris, 21, is a senior accountancy major from New Albany who plans to complete her master’s degree in taxation at UM, then work in tax accounting for a firm.

“This class has opened my eyes to the political corruption within this state, and how many of our government officials refuse to embrace the progress that this state so desperately needs,” she said. “Before taking this class, I was not very ‘in the know’ about politics, especially Mississippi politics, but now, I feel as though I am more knowledgeable on why things are the way they are in Mississippi and at Ole Miss.”

Harris said she is intrigued to learn more.

“I am encouraged to look more deeply into the issues amongst this state and to root for change,” she said. “As we live 60 years after the integration of Ole Miss and James Meredith, it is evident that progress has definitely been made, but there is, without a doubt, a lot more work to do in bettering our state and school.”

This story was written by LaReeca Rucker.

A New York Times opinion editor visited the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media Thursday, Oct. 13, and left some students and faculty inspired about journalism.

NYT Opinion Editor Kathleen Kingsbury participated in a discussion called “Independence and Opinion at The New York Times” with UM School of Journalism and New Media Dean Andrea Hickerson, Ph.D. in the Overby Center auditorium inside Farley Hall.

Kingsbury answered questions from Hickerson and audience members providing insight and advice about working in journalism and editorial writing. She told the audience how she got started in journalism, how that led to her position with The NYT and challenges she has faced in her career.

“… One of the big things I think a lot about is just that we live in such an uncertain time,” Kingsbury said, adding that journalists often face economic instability.

Kathleen Kingsbury, of The New York Times, stands with Professor Charlie Mitchell at the front of his class.

She said she has been laid off from jobs due to budget cuts or economic issues. She has also faced challenges as a woman in journalism, though she said the situation has been improving over the years. Some of the skills Kingsbury said were beneficial in journalism are being resilient and adaptable, “because, right now, the news cycle is relentless,” she said.  She also believes burnout is common in newsrooms, mental health is important, and taking breaks in this career helps.

These breaks can range from, “I’ve got to take a walk around the block to I just need a week off,” she said.

It is also important to know when you should be at work, she said.  Kingsbury offered a personal example about how she decided to delay the celebration of her son’s 8^th birthday, which occurred on the same day as the recent Uvalde, Texas school shooting, because she felt she should be in the newsroom that day.  This highlighted another challenge – balancing family and work life.

Annie Phelps, a journalism student who attended the event, said she found Kingsbury’s talk inspiring. Her takeaway was that anyone can overcome barriers and challenges and succeed.

“… No matter what, I can still work my way up, no matter my gender, my economic status,” she said. “I could work hard and I could make my way up just like she did.”

Kathleen Kingsbury, of The New York Times, stands with student Justice Rose in the Student Media Center. Photo by MacKenzie Ross.

Justice Rose, a journalism student who serves as the opinion editor of The Daily Mississippian and vice president of the University of Mississippi chapter of the NAACP, said Kingsbury’s visit was a reflective opportunity.

“She came to the SMC and spoke to some of the DM editors, myself included,” he said. “Kingsbury and I are both opinion editors, so I wanted to gain some insight on how she goes about managing an opinion column. Her responsibilities are much larger than mine, but it was really grounding to learn we share some methodologies and ideas when editing and curating the opinion column.”

Rose said Kingsbury is a proponent for including diverse voices and ideas, something he said he has also focused on since joining the DM.

“Funny enough, she said the most common edits she makes to pieces are copy edits: little grammatical errors or AP errors,” he said. “I could tell that Kathleen really loves her job and that enthusiasm and passion sort of rubbed off on me. I loved that in our conversation she wanted to know about my work process. At the DM, the biggest edits I usually make in submitted pieces are prose/syntax edits. I’m always changing things around trying to make it read smoothly.”

Rose described Kingsbury as a “down-to-earth” person.

“She came into her role at the height of the pandemic, and seems to have everything figured out now,” he said. “… having a figure like that visit and interact with students is so, so rare. I appreciate her and applaud her for sharing humbling knowledge.”

Kingsbury also spoke to one of Professor Charlie Mitchell’s classes.

“She gave a realistic description of the joys and new challenges of serving with America’s largest news writers and opinion leaders,” Mitchell said. “The students had pointed questions, and her responses were thorough and frank.”

Despite its challenges, Kingsbury said, “There’s no better career in the world, right? You get to go and learn things, and ask people tough questions, and meet people, and get into really deep conversations with them, and then tell the world about those conversations.”

Kingsbury said she feels journalism offers endless opportunities with incredible personal rewards that are well worth any possible drawbacks.

This story was written by Ruth Mayo.

LaReeca Rucker contributed to this story.