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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1



                                  May 17, 1999

Internet America, Inc.
One Dallas Centre
350 N. St. Paul, Suite 3000
Dallas, Texas 75201

         Re:  Registration Statement on Form SB-2 of Internet America, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are acting as counsel for Internet America, Inc., a Texas
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of the offering and sale of up
to 382,635 shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the
"Shares"), by certain of the Company's shareholders. A Registration Statement
(as amended, the "Registration Statement") on Form SB-2 covering the offering
and sale of the Shares is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") on or about the date hereof.

         In reaching the conclusions expressed in this opinion, we have examined
and relied upon originals or certified copies of all documents, certificates and
instruments as we have deemed necessary to the opinions expressed herein. In
making the foregoing examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures on original documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals and the conformity of original documents to all copies submitted
to us.

         Based solely upon the foregoing, subject to the comments hereinafter
stated, and limited in all respects to the laws of the State of Texas and the
federal laws of the United States of America, it is our opinion that the Shares
are duly authorized and, upon issuance in accordance with the Securities
Purchase Agreement dated as of February 18, 1999 by and among CyberRamp, L.L.C.,
its Members and the Company and the Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of January
29, 1999 by and among CompuNet, Inc., its shareholder, the Company and its
wholly-owned subsidiary, were validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an Exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to us under "Legal Matters" in the
prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent,
we do not admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the
Commission promulgated thereunder.
                                                    Very truly yours,

                                                    /s/ JACKSON WALKER L.L.P.

                                                    JACKSON WALKER L.L.P.