About Oxford
Oxford, Mississippi was incorporated in May of 1837, and was built on land that had once belonged to the Chickasaw Indian Nation. The town was established on fifty acres, which had been conveyed to the county by three men, John Chisholm, John J. Craig and John D. Martins. The men had purchased the land from two Chickasaw Indians, HoKa and E Ah Nah Yea.
The Mississippi Legislature voted in 1841 to make Oxford the home of the state’s first University, the University of Mississippi. Oxford resident, T.D. Isom had recommended naming the City after Oxford, England in hopes that this would one day become a University town.
The University of Mississippi opened its doors in 1848 to 80 male students and has since become a landmark of Oxford and one of the nations finest public Universities. In 1882, it began to admit to female students, becoming one of the first co-educational public universities in the South. Three years later, T.D. Isom’s daughter, Sarah, would be hired as the first female faculty member.
During the Civil Rights movement, Oxford found itself in the epicenter for the battle for equality in higher education. On October 1, 1962, James Meredith entered the University of Mississippi as the first acknowledged African American student after a night of rioting on campus.
Since that time, Oxford has thrived. The city is now known as the home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner and has been featured as a literary destination in publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living and Garden and Gun. Many writers have followed in Faulkner’s footsteps, making Oxford their home over the years adding to the literary reputation Oxford has become renowned for including: Larry Brown, Barry Hannah, Willie Morris, and John Grisham to name a few. Touted by Lucky Magazine as the “Cultural Mecca of the South”, creativity abounds in Oxford as musicians, artist and writers alike find inspiration in Oxford’s rich history, small town charm and creative community.
Below are two videos about Oxford. Note: the first is a older video, but draws on Oxford’s literary heritage.
