James Meredith nació el 25 de junio de 1933 en Mississippi, Estados Unidos. Está casado con Judy Alsobrook. Tienen dos niños. Ha estado casado con Mary June Wiggins.
On October 1, 1962, escorted by United States Marshals, he became the first black student to attend the University of Mississippi. His admission was regarded as a pivotal moment in the history of the civil rights movement.
