OXFORD, MS (abc24.com) - From chaos to calm, Ole Miss students walked in unity Wednesday night. The candlelight vigil was in sharp contrast to election night's uproar on campus over President Obama's victory, with some students shouting racial slurs. The crowd grew to hundreds, fueled by postings on social media.
About 1,000 students gathered Wednesday to light candles and walk around campus. The vigil comes nearly 24 hours after hundreds of students ran through the streets of Oxford, protesting President Obama's victory. They want to show the world what happened on election night doesn't define who they are as a university.
"We want to stand up of who we are of a community of people that respect and support each other no matter our station in life or our color of our skin," stated Susan Glisson, Executive Director of the William Institute of Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi.
Student Michael Shea added, "I think it's really important, especially after what happened last night, to show that it doesn't define our community. It was an isolated incident."
Hope Wilson, a junior at the university, organized Wednesday night's candlelight vigil. She says her school has come a long way, recently celebrating 50 years of integration.
"It's easy to look at these racially tense events and pin point as a defining face of an institution, such as one like the University of Mississippi that has had a history it," she said. "We talk about how much progress we've made but with that said there still have been pockets of unrest over the past few years… There's never really any overt racism but there's always an under current that pops up occasionally."
Students recited the university creed after the candlelight march. The overall message: respect one another and hope this will never happen again.
"At the end of the day I would like people to know that racial healing is a process," Wilson said. "Even though it may seem bad at times they definitely will constantly get better."
Two people were arrested amid the election night protest for disorderly conduct. No one was hurt.
University officials say they're still reviewing the incident and may have further disciplinary action towards the students involved.
