Author and civil rights activist James Meredith announced plans Wednesday to open a museum that will chronicle his life’s accomplishments, house an archival library and provide a sanctuary for those wanting to study the Bible.
The project, announced at a press conference, fulfills a continuing dream of Meredith’s to “help uplift the moral character of families and to build leadership skills in kids,” Meredith said. He said the museum is slated to open in late 2021. The museum will be located at 217 W. Griffith Street in Jackson.
Meredith said the museum is a multi-million dollar project, and the nonprofit the museum will operate under, the James H. Meredith Interpretive Center and Bible Society, is currently accepting donations.
Meredith became a household name when he integrated the University of Mississippi in 1962. He went on to attend law school at Columbia University in 1968 and remained active in the civil rights movement, including organizing the March Against Fear in 1966 when he was shot attempting to walk from Memphis to Jackson to encourage voter registration. He is also the author of several books.