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.
MDAH is offering fellowships to people who want to research their family’s connection to Mississippi at the state archives, gathering oral histories, and holding a series of public programs on genealogy, preservation of important papers and images, and the history of the Great Migration.
MMA will open the exhibition, A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration, in April 2022. It will then travel to Baltimore to begin a nationwide tour. Organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Baltimore Museum of Art, the exhibition will present newly commissioned work by twelve of the nation’s foremost visual artists who have been asked to reflect on their own personal and familial connections to the Great Migration.
Great Migration Programs and Opportunities
Family Genealogy Fellowship
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is pleased to offer the Family Genealogy Fellowships to support individuals hoping to locate information related to their family history using resources available at MDAH. This fellowship provides the researcher with access to our unique collections in order to fill in details of their family’s stories.
Ten research stipends of up to $2,000 will be offered to ten researchers to fund their travel to Jackson and accommodations for three consecutive nights to allow for three days of research at MDAH.
The application period has ended.
Researching Land Genealogy Workshop
Interested in learning how to research land records but could use some guidance or a refresher? Come to the Researching Land genealogy workshop presented by De’Niecechsi Layton at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 17. Whether you are just beginning your research journey or are well into it, this workshop will guide you on how to examine and interpret different types of land records and where they can be located.
The Researching Land Genealogy Workshop is now full. Subscribe to our Weekly Update for information about upcoming genealogy programs.
MDAH will also offer a series of public programs on genealogy, preservation of family papers and images, and the history of the Great Migration beginning in February 2022.