How Mississippi Newspapers Helped Keep State College Basketball Segregated, 1955-1973
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The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Spring 5-2011 Full Court Press: How Mississippi Newspapers Helped Keep State College Basketball Segregated, 1955-1973 Jason Ashley Peterson University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Part of the Journalism Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Peterson, Jason Ashley, "Full Court Press: How Mississippi Newspapers Helped Keep State College Basketball Segregated, 1955-1973" (2011). Dissertations. 736. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/736 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi FULL COURT PRESS: HOW MISSISSIPPI NEWSPAPERS HELPED KEEP STATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEGREGATED, 1955-1973 by Jason Ashley Peterson A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved: ____________________________________ Director ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Dean of the Graduate School May 2011 The University of Southern Mississippi FULL COURT PRESS: HOW MISSISSIPPI NEWSPAPERS HELPED KEEP STATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEGREGATED, 1955-1973 by Jason Ashley Peterson Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2011 ABSTRACT FULL COURT PRESS: HOW MISSISSIPPI NEWSPAPERS HELPED KEEP STATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEGREGATED, 1955-1973 by Jason Ashley Peterson May 2011 During the civil rights era, Mississippi was cloaked in the hateful embrace of the Closed Society, historian James Silver’s description of the white caste systems that used State’s Rights to enforce segregation and promote the subservient treatment of blacks. Surprisingly, challenges from Mississippi’s college basketball courts brought into question the validity of the Closed Society and its unwritten law, a gentleman’s agreement that prevented college teams in the Magnolia State from playing against integrated foes. Led by Mississippi State University’s (MSU) basketball team, which won four Southeastern Conference championships in a five-year span, the newspapers in Mississippi often debated the legitimacy of MSU’s claims to a trip to the integrated NCAA national championship tournament with some reporters, namely Jimmy Ward of the Jackson Daily News, damning the Starkville-five for their attempted violation of the state’s white-dominated social structure. Others, such as Jimmie McDowell of the Jackson State Times, emerged from the sports desk as a bold and progressive voice in the annals of Mississippi journalism. By the time MSU added its first black basketball players in 1971, the Closed Society had loosened its grip on Mississippi’s newspapers as evident in the absence of race-based descriptions and identifications of these brave athletes. This dissertation examines the role Mississippi’s journalists played, from 1955 through 1973, in maintaining segregated college basketball in the state and its reaction to the integration of basketball teams at University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Mississippi, and Mississippi State University. In total, the press ii either condemned any efforts to introduce social equality in Mississippi’s athletic avenues, remained silent, or supported such efforts in the name of national basketball dominance. iii COPYRIGHT BY JASON ASHLEY PETERSON 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you, Dr. David R. Davies, and my other committee members Dr. Gene Wiggins, Dr. Kim LeDuff, Dr. Cheryl Jenkins, and Dr. Christopher Campbell. Without the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Davies, I would not be able to finish this project. I consider Dr. Davies both a mentor and a friend, and I am honored that he chose to help me achieve this monumental goal. I would also like to thank Dr. Art Kaul, a former committee member who passed away during the work on this dissertation. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the Communication department at Berry College, especially Dr. Brian Carroll, who was a steadying influence on my work during the course of this dissertation. His mentoring, critical thinking, and knowledge of sports reporting during the civil rights era helped me maintain my focus over the past five years and, without him, I doubt I would have completed this task. I would also like to thank Dr. Bob Frank and Dean Thomas Kennedy for their faith in my efforts. A person could not ask for more supportive administrators than Dr. Frank and Dean Kennedy, and the patience demonstrated by both made this endeavor that much easier. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to Diane Land for her diligent efforts in editing the final product. I would also like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the individuals who participated in the dissertation. Wilbert Jordan, Jr., Perry Wallace, Joe Dan Gold, Dr. Douglas Starr, Jimmie McDowell, Joe Mosby, Rick Cleveland, and Bob Hartley, all contributed to an overall understanding of the civil rights era, and the commentary offered by each validated my exploration into this topic. Without the various library personnel at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, Jones County Junior College, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and Berry College, my efforts would have been futile. In no particular order, I would like to thank Betty Self at MSU; Jennifer Ward iv and John Wall at Ole Miss; Andrew Sharpe at Jones County Junior College; Pristina Armstrong, Jennifer Brannock, and Cindy Lawler at USM; and Xiaojing Zu at Berry College, for all of their hard work and assistance. I would also like to thank the following individuals who influenced me in some shape or form during my graduate school education: Dr. Ginger Carter Miller, Dr. Mary Jean Land, Dr. William Griswold, Dr. Louis Benjamin, Dr. Mazharul Haque, Dr. Bradley Bond, Dr. Louis Kyriakoudes, and Dr. Willie Pierce. On a personal note, I would like to thank my parents, William and Sandy Peterson, for fueling my thirst for knowledge over the years and my brother, Billy Peterson, who jokingly doubted my sanity during my years as a journalist, yet never questioned my dreams and aspirations. He has remained a steady and supportive influence on my life and, for that, I will always be grateful. Last, but not least, I would like to thank my wife and my two children. An endeavor of this magnitude would not be possible without their unconditional love, support, and encouragement. My wife has never questioned my desires to achieve this goal and lovingly followed me on a trek though the southern United States. She is my best friend and my biggest fan. There is no doubt that I would have been unable to complete such an arduous task without her. Joy, Addison, and Connor, this dissertation is for you. I love you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................................................iv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 A Brief History of Mississippi College Basketball and the Unwritten Law Significance of the Study Literature Review Research Questions and Methodology Chapter-by-Chapter Organization II. THEY DESERVE A STINGING DEFEAT.............................................................33 The Bobcats Prevail on the Field Gartin’s Withdrawal The Bobcats’ Exodus to California The Game and Aftermath Sullens Objects Editorial Support, Then Discontent Hometown Support The Sports Writer Stays Silent Conclusion III. SOMETIMES, EVEN COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS ACT LIKE FRESHMEN .............................................................................................................66 Proposal and Silence The Evansville Fiasco The Compliant Rebels Reaction from the Press The Aftermath and Public Opinion Jackson State College Falls to the Unwritten Law The Mainstream Remains Silent Editorial Commentary and Public Opinion Conclusion IV. WE’LL STAY AT HOME AND TELL EVERYBODY WE’RE THE BEST ..................................................................................................107 Conquering Kentucky A NCAA Bid Becomes a Possibility MSU Students Vote for the Team to Play The Maroons Close in on the SEC Title Hilbun Decides to Stay Home vi Starkville Remained Silent Jimmy Ward Takes up the Fight Editors in Jackson, Meridian Defend the Closed Society Other Journalists Speak Out McDowell Emerges as a Progressive Voice The Sports Desk Speaks Up Silence Again Rules in Starkville Public Perception Conclusion V. THE LESS SAID, THE BETTER ............................................................................187 McCarthy’s Charges Dominate the SEC The Press Assumes an NCAA bid for Second Place State Suffers a