Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard - Paperback

by Sherita L. Johnson (Author), Cheryl D. Jenkins (Author), Loren Saxton Coleman (Author)

Clyde Kennard (1927-1963) was a determined and soft-spoken man whose fight to enroll at Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi) in the 1950s highlighted the broader struggle for racial equality in education. Kennard's efforts to desegregate higher education remain lesser known, but his impact on the movement for educational equality is undeniable. A veteran of the Korean War, Kennard's desire to further his education led him to challenge the status quo, writing editorials in the Hattiesburg American in which he argued that educating people together, regardless of race, was essential for societal progress.

His courageous stand against segregation subjected him to false arrests, imprisonment, and ultimately, his untimely death in 1963 without completing his degree. However, Kennard's legacy persists as a symbol of the broader civil rights struggle, emphasizing the necessity of grassroots action in advancing justice. Through archival research and interdisciplinary analysis, Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard unearths Kennard's story, examining his activism and contributions within the context of systemic racism and the fight for desegregation in higher education.

This volume draws from periodicals, court documents, and student publications to recover Kennard's case from the shadows of history. It emphasizes his efforts to empower African Americans and create lasting social change. Each chapter offers a unique perspective on Kennard's life and legacy, particularly his influence on the Hattiesburg community and on students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Mixing is both a tribute to Kennard's enduring fight for justice and a call to continue conversations about race, education, and social equity today.

Author Biography

Sherita L. Johnson is director of the College of Liberal Arts' Africana Research Center and associate professor of English at Pennsylvania State University. She is author of Black Women in New South Literature and Culture. Cheryl D. Jenkins is chair of the Mass Media Studies Department and associate professor in the School of Humanities and Fine Arts at Talladega College. She is coauthor of Race and News: Critical Perspectives. Loren Saxton Coleman is assistant professor and director of graduate studies in the Communication, Culture and Media Studies Department in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University. She is coeditor of Media, Myth, and Millennials: Critical Perspectives on Race and Culture. Rebecca A. Tuuri is associate professor of history and associate dean of the Honors College at the University of Southern Mississippi. She is author of Strategic Sisterhood: The National Council of Negro Women in the Black Freedom Struggle, which won the Julia Cherry Spruill Prize from the Southern Association of Women Historians.