Lawsuit Alleges Discrimination at Jackson State

Jackson State University has seen the unlikely confluence of a popular Ph.D., who is married to a famous civil rights activist, waging a legal battle against the historically Black institution for alleged age and sex discrimination.

Dr. Judith Meredith filed suit last month in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi against the university and Anthony Dean, the director of university communications. In the lawsuit, which seeks $3 million in damages, Meredith describes a series of discriminatory and retaliatory actions taken against her.

Among the allegations: “Dean made sexually discriminatory remarks to plaintiff, calling her a ‘Redbone’ in the presence of her peers and co-workers, subjecting her to humiliation and disgrace.”