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30 FOR 30: GHOSTS OF OLE MISS (TV)

Summary

One in this series of sports documentaries presented by ESPN about important figures and events in athletic history. This program explores the accomplishments of the 1962 University of Mississippi football team amidst great racial unrest. Mississippi native Wright Thompson explains that while his parents never taught their children any racist beliefs, they also opted not to discuss the unpleasant truths of the Civil Rights era. Thompson wonders why the Ole Miss team of that same era has been "forgotten" despite their undefeated season and decides to uncover the story of that fateful year. The '62 players comment on their strong team, noting that Mississippi was considered to be "last in everything" except for football, and Thompson explains that in that year, James Meredith became the first black student to attend the infamously segregated university and that his, Thompson's, own relatives may have been involved in the strong protest against Meredith's enrollment. Dan Rather recalls interviewing students at the school about the integration, admitting that he was unprepared for the level of racism that he encountered, and Meredith, an Air Force veteran, explains that he was determined to "show no fear" when he arrived at the school.

Governor Ross Barnett, previously unpopular with constituents, gained many people's approval when he attempted to stand up to President and Senator Kennedys' orders and maintain the school's segregation. At a game featuring the Ole Miss team – called the "Rebels" in reference to the many students who died on the Civil War battlefield in 1863 – against the Kentucky Wildcats, Barnett gave in to the "delirium" of the crowd and gave a stirring and arguably Hitler-like speech condemning integration and, unbeknownst to the crowd, decided to violate the secret deal made with President Kennedy to allow Meredith's enrollment. In response, on September 30, Kennedy dispatched federal marshals to escort Meredith onto the campus, and many students, including the "dangerous" football star Buck Randall, opted to fight back against their presence. Rather reported on the story as the violence escalated and the marshals used tear gas on the enraged mob, and even Randall attempted to dissuade the rioters, though to no avail. Rebels player Bobby Boyd recalls throwing a Molotov cocktail at the marshals, and Kennedy exchanged "urgent" phone calls with Barnett in an attempt to stop the destruction.

In the morning, two were dead and many more injured, and the heavily-damaged campus had a "solemn" air of surprise at itself. Remarkably, Meredith arrived for classes on Monday morning and faced a steady stream of harassment, and the Rebels, considered the main reason for allowing the school to stay open, vowed to pull together and prove that Mississippi was "not all bad." Thompson wonders how many of his ancestors were actively involved in the famous riot, and Jennifer Harmon recalls befriending Meredith, who was prevented from attending the football games, and receiving harsh treatment from other students. The Rebels began an impressive winning streak, even beating their longtime rival, the LSU Tigers, and managing a "miraculous" win after a failed pass in the ninth game against Mississippi State. They completed their perfect 10-0 season on New Year's Day by beating Arkansas 17-13 at the Sugar Bowl, though many players state that they still find it painful to look back on that year. Meredith graduated in 1963, and Ole Miss continued to be plagued by racial controversies, frequently centered around the Confederate flag, though Chancellor Robert Khayat improved this matter by banning flag sticks at the football games. Current Chancellor Dan Jones explains that the school has made progress and has a much larger black student population, and Kimbrely Dandridge, the school's first black student body president, recalls receiving a congratulatory phone call from Meredith himself. Thompson ponders the "the cost of knowing the past," explaining that Randall and the other team members seem to have changed their racist ways over the decades, and the team was finally celebrated for its accomplishments in 1998 with the unveiling of a monument on campus. Thompson concludes that he still loves many aspects of his Southern upbringing and ancestry, and Meredith, now feeling welcome, continues to attend Rebels games. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: ESPN
  • DATE: October 30, 2012 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:53:41
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: 114730
  • GENRE: Sports
  • SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Sports; Sports; College sports
  • SERIES RUN: ESPN - TV series, 2009-
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Buick automobiles

CREDITS

  • John Dahl … Executive Producer
  • Connor Schell … Executive Producer
  • Bill Simmons … Executive Producer
  • Andrew Billman … Producer
  • Wendy Yamano … Producer
  • Andy Billman … Producer
  • Lisa Carville … Associate Producer
  • Steve Murphy … Associate Producer
  • Fritz Mitchell … Director
  • Wright Thompson … Writer, Narrator
  • Saunder Jurriaans … Music by
  • Daniel Bensi … Music by
  • Kendel Carson … Singer
  • Dan Rather … Interviewee
  • James Meredith … Interviewee
  • Bobby Boyd … Interviewee
  • Jennifer Harmon … Interviewee
  • Robert Khayat … Interviewee
  • Dan Jones … Interviewee
  • Kimbrely Dandridge … Interviewee
  • Ross Barnett
  • John F. Kennedy
  • Robert F. Kennedy
  • Buck Randall