Civil rights leader James Meredith took a tumble at a gathering commemorating his 90th birthday outside the Mississippi State Capitol on Sunday. While the incident caused concern, Meredith appeared to escape without significant harm and was reported to be resting at home later that day.

Addressing a crowd of approximately 200 well-wishers, Meredith leaned on a seemingly unstable portable lectern. The lectern tipped over, sending Meredith falling with it. Attendees rushed to his aid, helping him back into his wheelchair. Given the near 95-degree Fahrenheit heat, he was quickly provided with ice packs and cool water.

Meredith remained at the event for the remaining 45 minutes. Following the celebration, he was examined by paramedics before departing with family and friends in an SUV. Later, his wife, Judy Alsobrooks Meredith, confirmed to the Associated Press that he was home, enjoying his birthday cake, and described him as "tougher than anybody I've ever known."

Meredith's legacy in the civil rights movement is profound. An Air Force veteran, he bravely integrated the University of Mississippi in 1962 after securing a federal court order, facing violent resistance from white mobs in the process. In 1966, during his "March Against Fear" to advocate for Black voting rights, Meredith was shot and wounded. Civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., continued the march in his stead, and Meredith rejoined them when he recovered.