A Sussex man suspended from an American university for protesting against racial prejudice has been honoured 60 years later.

Mervyn Jones, 79, was one of seven students suspended from the University of New York in 1941 for protesting against its practice of leaving black players out of sports competitions when another university objected.

The protest was sparked by the NYU football team's decision to drop its star fullback, Leonard Bates, when the southern University of Missouri objected to black footballers playing against their whites-only team.

Mr Jones, who was 19 and active in the students' union, helped organise petitions and picketed the university administration, chanting "Bates Must Play".

Their protest continued when the university also withdrew black students from subsequent athletic meetings and a basketball game.

The University Dean responded by suspending seven of the campaigners, including Mr Jones, until the end of term.

Now 60 years later, the university has apologised for the suspensions and acknowledged the students' actions.

The recognition is the result of a letter-writing campaign by one of the seven, Professor Evelyn Witkin, and a sports history professor from Miami University, Donald Spivey.

Mr Jones, of Brunswick Terrace, Hove, said: "Though black students were treated the same as other students at the northern universities, they had a gentlemen's agreement with universities in the South, which meant they would drop black students if the other universities objected.

"It seems incredible now, but at the time segregation was still accepted as the norm in the Deep South."

Mr Jones was born in England but sent to New York University at the start of the Second World War by his parents. After his suspension two years later, he flew back to England and joined the army, never completing his history degree.

He went on to write 23 novels and several biographies, including one about his friend Michael Foot.

He has remained politically active throughout his life, as a journalist on the Tribune and the New Statesman, and once standing as parliamentary candidate for Labour in Chichester. He has lived in Hove for the last three years.

The University of Miami has sent Mr Jones a commemorative plaque marking his part in the move towards equality.

He said: "I am extremely pleased the university has finally acknowledged our actions. It shows the world has improved in some ways."