A former Ole Miss student, Austin Reed Edenfield, pleaded guilty on Thursday to assisting another student and frat brother in tying a noose and Confederate flag around the neck of a statue of James Meredith—the first black student to attend the university in 1962.
According to The Associated Press, Edenfield could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when he is sentenced in July. However, U.S. prosecutors have recommended probation since he helped convict the other students involved in the incident, including Graeme Phillip Harris. The Huffington Post reported that Harris is now serving time in prison until his six-month term is over in the summer. Both men are white and were members of the Sigma Phil Epsilon fraternity on campus.
“We will hold accountable those who attempt to run places of learning into places of intimidation and fear,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta, according to the AP. Edenfield remains free and at home in Atlanta awaiting his sentencing.
The University of Mississippi has taken pride for its Southern heritage—including ties to the Confederacy—for a long time, according to the The Washington Post. The state of Mississippi fought against James Meredith’s enrollment at the university in 1962, causing President John F. Kennedy to send federal troops to campus to protect Meredith until he graduated in 1963.
The school has tried to distance itself from that reputation recently, changing its mascot from an old Southerner to a black bear and even taking down the state flag on campus with the Confederate Emblem this fall. However, these threats of racial violence are reminiscent of Ole Miss in its days of racial riots and tensions in the ‘60s.
The AP reported that Brandi Hephner LaBanc, the university’s vice chancellor for student affairs, called Edenfield’s hearing a “step in the right direction.” LaBanc went on to say in a statement, “Many members of our campus were deeply affected by this incident and the university does not tolerate hateful behavior. Today’s outcome affirms our position and sends a clear message about what is expected in our shared community.”
This sort of bigotry and hate on campuses is totally unacceptable, and we’re glad universities like Ole Miss are finally cracking down on this sort of behavior.