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On This Date (9/29) in Ole Miss Sports History

Governor Ross Barnett Delivers His "I Love Mississippi" Speech During Halftime of Ole Miss v. Kentucky in Jackson, MS

September 29, 1962

"Mr. Chairman and my fellow Mississippians:

I love Mississippi! I love her people! Our customs! I love, and I respect our heritage!"

On the eve of the Ole Miss Riot of 1962, the Rebels found themselves in the capital city of Jackson, MS taking on the Kentucky Wildcats. Coach Johnny Vaught had built the Rebs into a powerhouse, racking up a record of 88-15-5 in the ten years prior to 1962, including three SEC Championships and two National Championships.

The Rebels would go on to claim their third National Championship by season's end. But something bigger was brewing in Mississippi: something that would jettison it straight into the national spotlight. Hours later, James Meredith was to be escorted onto the campus of Ole Miss as a full-time, African-American student. Segregation, as a result, was to be relegated as a thing of the past.

Secretly, Governor Ross Barnett, a staunch segregationist, was conducting quiet conversations with the Kennedy administration. He would ultimately agree to Meredith's registration. But on this night, in this city, Barnett responded to the chants of, "We want Ross! We want Ross!" In conjunction with the governor's 16-word speech, a massive confederate flag was unfurled at field level.

The eventual national champions would go on to shut out the Wildcats by a score of 14-0. But the jubilation was to be short-lived. The following evening, two would lay dead and hundreds would be injured in Oxford, MS.

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