MDAH is accepting applications for preservation grants. Deadline is September 30, 2022. Click to learn more.
Windsor Ruins
Museums
Mississippi Department of Archives & History
Interval
5000
Transition
Fade
Previous Next

The World of Marty Stuart

Welcome to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

By preserving Mississippi's diverse historic resources and sharing them with people around the world, MDAH inspires discovery of stories that connect our lives and shape our future.

Great Migration Initiative

Take an in-depth look at the Great Migration—the unprecedented movement of African Americans from the South in the first three-quarters of the twentieth century—through the lenses of history and art. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) and the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) are undertaking a year-long initiative in 2022 to expand understanding of the Great Migration and its impact on Mississippi and the nation.

Read More

Empowering people through Mississippi’s many stories.

That’s our vision at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. We are here to help you explore and discover your Mississippi stories.

You can use this website, and our reading rooms in downtown Jackson, to:

  • Research historical records, archival collections and special publications
  • Discover historical sites and museums to visit all around the state
  • Check out upcoming events, including our History is Lunch series
  • Preserve Mississippi’s historic buildings and archaeological sites
  • Download field trip guides, lesson plans, and teaching units
  • View regulations for managing state and local government records
  • Find out how to volunteer, donate, and more
News & Events

Find the latest news, upcoming programs, and special exhibitions at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

News & Events

Research

Discover your story. Search the ultimate primary resource of Mississippi’s historical documents, photos, videos, and more.

You can use our online collections, and the extensive resources at our reading rooms in downtown Jackson, to build your family tree, create an engaging presentation, or simply explore your Mississippi history.

Get Started

Explore

Real stories, real places. Set out on a hands-on history adventure and discover the people and places that shaped your Mississippi.

MDAH welcomes curious visitors of all ages to more than a dozen museums, historic sites and cultural attractions throughout the state.

Go Places

Preserve

Tell your story for generations to come. Mississippi is rich in architectural and archaeological history.

See How

Volunteer

Be part of history. Volunteer with MDAH and help us preserve and connect Mississippi’s rich historic resources with people around the world.

Volunteer

Teachers & Students

Stories are for sharing. Help your students explore their Mississippi history from K-12 to college.

Discover ready-to-use field trip guides, professional development opportunities, a host of classroom resources and information on Mississippi History Day, our history-themed student competition.

Education

News & Articles

8/8/2022
Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, will deliver the Medgar Wiley Evers Lecture on Thursday, September 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson.
7/18/2022
MDAH is accepting grant applications for the Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program and Mississippi Historic Site Preservation Grant Program.
7/1/2022
Higher Purpose Co. (HPC) and the National Museum of African American History and Culture are supporting free admission to the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Friday, July 8, and Saturday, July 9, in conjunction with the presentation of The Negro Motorist Green Book exhibit.
6/29/2022
The Negro Motorist Green Book will open Saturday, July 2, at the Two Mississippi Museums, part of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, a Smithsonian Affiliate.  This exhibition offers an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans in mid-century America and how the annual guide served as an indispensable resource for the nation’s rising African American middle class.
6/27/2022
Pamela J. Merryman, a doctoral student at Southern Methodist University, has been named the 2022 Eudora Welty Fellow.
6/24/2022

MDAH offices, archives library, and Grand Village of the Natchez Indians will be closed Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

Events

Free Sundays at the Two Mississippi Museums
August 21, 2022, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Admission to the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum is free every Sunday and includes

History Is Lunch: William Thompson, “The 1950 U.S. Census”
August 24, 2022, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

At noon on Wednesday, August 24, William Thompson will present “The 1950 U.S. Census” as part of the History Is Lunch series.

Beginning Genealogy Workshop
August 27, 2022, 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Just getting started in genealogical research? Come to the Beginning Genealogy Workshop presented by Andrew McNulty at 10 a.m.