News Releases

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division is sponsoring free admission to the Two Mississippi Museums  in honor of Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19.  

“We are grateful to Ingalls Shipbuilding for making it possible for so many Mississippians to visit the Two Mississippi Museums and celebrate emancipation in the United States,” said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. 

Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday in 2021, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people at the end of the Civil War. 

According to the US Census, 436,631 Black men, women, and children—55 percent of Mississippi's population—were enslaved when the Civil War began. The Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum illustrate how the state’s economy thrived on the global demand for cotton and how the injustice of slavery led to the war. 

The partnership between Ingalls Shipbuilding and the Two Mississippi Museums underscores the joint commitment to community and education, offering residents of Mississippi and visitors an opportunity to explore and make Mississippi’s shared history accessible to everyone.  

“By sponsoring admission to the Two Mississippi Museums, Ingalls Shipbuilding hopes this inspires reflection, learning, and a deeper appreciation for the significance of Juneteenth,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporate Stewardship and Community Relations Manager Lisa Bradley. 
In addition to free admission all day, there will be a Juneteenth Jubilee program from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Two Mississippi Museums.  

Celebrating Black empowerment and community, this evening program will feature a variety of activities, including Juneteenth-themed crafts, card and yard games, and Juneteenth-themed tours at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. In addition, the program will feature a line dance workshop by Aaron Honeysuckle at 5:30 p.m., and performances by the Master’s Touch DrumLine, LLC, Jasmine JT Thomas, Cliffton Cotten, and the Anderson United Methodist Church youth dance ministry. Fratelli Italian Ice will also be on site to serve sweet treats. 

Employing more than 11,000 people, Ingalls Shipbuilding is the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi. For 85 years from its location in Pascagoula, Ingalls has designed, built, and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers, and cutters for the US Navy and US Coast Guard. 

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History are in downtown Jackson at 222 North Street.  Free parking can be found alongside North Street near the Entergy Plaza or in the Two Mississippi Museums visitor garage on Jefferson Street. For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.