It is no secret that the University of Mississippi has a very rich southern heritage. Professor Charles W. Eagles sheds some light on the University’s history in a book about James Meredith, the first African-American to attend Ole Miss.
Professor Eagles’ book, The Price of Defiance, focuses on three major components. He wanted to explain why the riot occurred at the University in 1962, he wanted to write a book that would show James Meredith as a person and focus on his background, and finally he wanted to allow readers to follow James Meredith for his year at Ole Miss.
By writing The Price of Defiance Professor Eagles earned numerous awards and received many commendations. Among his awards he received is the Lillian Smith Award which he received in Atlanta this September. His previous book received the award in 1993 so do date Eagles is the only scholar to have won the award twice.
The book was used immediately in a journalism class at Florida State University and Dr. Namorato has used the book in his Mississippi history classes here at the University. Professor Eagles says that the one important thing that the book does for college aged students is explains what segregation really was. Professor Eagles says, “We all kind of know the almost clichés of segregated water fountains and separate schools for blacks and whites.” He goes on to explain that segregation affected all aspects of life here at Ole Miss. His goal was to give readers a good understanding of how segregation worked as a system and giving concrete examples.
Professor Eagles makes a point of saying how the chapter specifically on James Meredith’s life gets very little attention. He also says that reviews for the book have not mentioned the last chapter of the book. He told me that if I do not read the book I should make a point of reading the last ten pages.
http://southernchanges.blogspot.com/2010/09/charles-eagles-accepts-2010-lillian.html
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