Raylawni Branch on integrating Southern Miss

BY JA’TERRICA WILSON SM2 REPORTER

RRaylawni Branch, born in 1941, is one of the first two Black students to enroll at The University of Southern Mississippi in 1965.

Out of all schools and public universities in the state of Mississippi, Branch was led to Southern Miss by the persuasion and influence of one of her high school peers.

“Gwendolyn Elaine Armstrong, who was a high school student who applied here, was afraid to come alone,” Branch said.

By Armstrong being Black as well, it gave her comfort knowing that someone who looked just like her would enroll at the same institution with the help of the NAACP.

“So in 1965, the NAACP, Forrest County NAACP, asked me if I would enroll and come out here. And believe it or not, Elaine and I didn’t have one single class together,” Branch said.

Although Armstrong and Branch did not have any classes together, there was still peace knowing that each other was on the same campus at the same time.

During her time of enrollment at Southern Miss, Branch already had a sick husband as well as three children.

The NAACP paid Branch’s tuition for school; but even with this academic help, she still struggled to keep money for her personal expenses.

“I worked on campus; we were paid work study for a dollar and five cents an hour,” Branch said. “We worked for 20 hours. So, we would take home approximately seventeen dollars and some change.”

Branch and her friend Armstrong

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7