Revisiting an American Insurrection

Tuesday October 25, 2011

Reporter: Shad Green

Speaker-William “Bill” Doyle

Revisiting an American Insurrection

Last Tuesday morning, New York Times best-selling author William Doyle spoke to Ole Miss faculty and students about his book, “An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi,1962.”

Doyle is best known for being a storyteller of fiction through his interviews with history makers.

The book tells the story of James Meredith, the first African American to apply for admission to Ole Miss, and how that decision launched what he refers to as “the gravest conflict between federal and state authority since the Civil War.”

During the lecture, Doyle briefly describes that fateful night of September 30, 1962.

“It was a 14 hour riot fought by a crowd of white supremacists and federal marshals and soldiers to defend to Lyceum.”

VIDEO OF WILLIAM DOYLE SPEAKING ON EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT.

Doyle also explained how the idea of the book came about and his writing process through his conduction of over 500 interviews with key players like James Meredith, access to 9,000 pages of FBI files, and viewing President Kennedy’s old White House tapes.

At the end the lecture, Dr. Don Cole opened the floor for questions from the audience and William Doyle reminded the audience that the key to revisiting the past is by having an open mind.