The Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

Since 1962 when James Meredith first enrolled at the University of Mississippi, we have made much progress for equal education and treatment for minority students, but to say that the road to where we are now has been simple and straightforward would be a lie. With demographics showing only around 14% of the entire student body being African American from the 2017-2018 year[1]. The Honors College serves as an example of one of the many spaces on campus for student organizations, and a space that has its own approach for helping students acclimate to the college environment. A group called The Honors College Minority Engagement Council started just recently in 2018 that helps students on campus create relationships and locate resources, but the Honors College is not without its past issues when it comes to racially insensitive students[2]. In 2019, a student self reported an instagram post of himself wearing Blackface which spurred a series of emails both from the Office of the Provost and the Honors College, one of which was entitled, “My Culture is not Your Costume”[3].

This entry was written by Constance Hartline.

1. University of Mississippi Main Campus, Forbes List. Accessed November 15th 2020. https://www.forbes.com/colleges/university-of-mississippi-main-campus/?sh=778250ba65a7.

2. Honors College Minority Engagement Council, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Accessed November 15th 2020. https://www.honors.olemiss.edu/students/honors-college-minority-engagement-council/.

3. Ole Miss honors student wears Blackface, prompts warning, ABC News. October 14th 2019. Accessed November 15th 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ole-miss-honors-students-wears-Blackface-prompts-warning-66259268.