Ross Barnett's "I love Mississippi" speech in 1962 When he says to crowds of all white, Confederate flag waving, cheering football fans (mostly drunken Ole Miss fratboys) that "I love Mississippi...our customs" and "I love and respect our heritage". 41,000 fans cheered at the stadium waving thousands of Confederate flags. Barnett, a In 1963, Barnett tried to prevent the men's basketball team of Barnett in 1960 named his former campaign associate and later biographer, Barnett's term as governor officially expired on January 21, 1964, with the swearing-in of his successor, the outgoing Shortly after he left office, Barnett's looming presence was evident at the first He also drew laughter by recounting another plan where Meredith would go to Jackson to enroll while Barnett remained in Oxford "and when Meredith was registered, he (Barnett) would feign surprise." Barnett was a member of the white supremacist Citizens’ Councils movement as well.In 1962, the state agency in charge of universities and colleges, the Institutions of Higher Learning, appointed Barnett the registrar in order to oppose James Meredith’s efforts to desegregate Barnett’s alma mater, the University of Mississippi.

He put the black man in Africa…. Barnett went to the field, grabbed the microphone at the 50-yard line and said to an enthusiastic crowd:“I love Mississippi!

This was because the charges were terminated (civil) and dismissed (criminal) by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals because of “substantial compliance with orders of the court,” and “in view of changed circumstances and conditions.” Only two Mississippi legislators opposed Barnett’s efforts to defy the federal authorities, Joe Wroten and Karl Wiesenburg.On the night before the Ole Miss riot of 1962 protesting Meredith’s entry to the university, Barnett gave his famous sixteen-word “I Love Mississippi” speech at the University of Mississippi football game in Jackson. Ross Robert Barnett (January 22, 1898 – November 6, 1987) was the Governor of Mississippi from 1960 to 1964. He served in the United States Army during World War I, then worked in a variety of jobs while earning an undergraduate degree from Mississippi College in Clinton in 1922. I say to you that Bobby Kennedy is a very sick and dangerous American. Using the income derived from his legal fees, Barnett sought to try his hand at politics, unsuccessfully running twice in the Democratic primary for On his third try in 1959, he won the nomination, in a campaign which mostly ran on segregation, publishing the brochure "Dynamic Leadership - To Keep Segregation and Improve Our Standard of Living"No Republican even filed, and Barnett was unopposed in the November general election. With the accreditation of the state’s medical school and other universities in jeopardy due to the political interventions, the IHL board reversed their action after the riots on the campus. Governor George C. Wallace of Alabama subsequently assumed this role in part, not running openly against Johnson but rather testing his popularity in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Maryland.Shortly after he left office, Barnett’s looming presence was evident at the first jury trial of white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith in February 1964. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Barnett's single term as governor was marked by conflicts with civil rights activists who protested in the state. By using ThoughtCo, you accept ourJames Meredith: First African American Student to Attend Ole MissBiography of Eudora Welty, American Short-Story WriterBiography of John Lewis, Civil Rights Activist and PoliticianBiography of Jefferson Davis, President of the ConfederacySAT Scores for Admission to Four-Year Mississippi CollegesUniversity of Mississippi: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics Tom Head, Ph.D., is a historian specializing in the history of ethics, religion, and ideas. Ross Barnett (January 22, 1898–November 6, 1987) served one term as Mississippi's governor, but he remains as one of the state's most well-known chief executives due in large part to his willingness to imprison civil rightsprotesters, defy federal law, incite insurrection, and function as a mouthpiece for the Mississippi white supremacistmovement.

Barnett died on Nov. 6, 1987, in Jackson, Mississippi. During his term in office, he celebrated the centennial of the While this approach gained approval in the state, it was done in part to blunt the criticism that he was receiving for a variety of reasons: failing to follow through with promises of jobs for office-seekers; filling those jobs with acquaintances, and attempting to wrest control of state agencies from the legislature.In 1962, the state agency in charge of universities and colleges, the Institutions of Higher Learning, appointed Barnett the registrar in order to oppose I love Mississippi!

Bryant, Nick (Autumn 2006). The crowd shouted “We want Ross!”. We have lots of sick Americans in this country but most of them have a long beard. "In 2007, his granddaughter, Judith Barnett, was a Democratic candidate for a District 1 judgeship in Hinds County.