News

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) has been awarded $1 million by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through an Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grant for the Natchez Center for American History project at Historic Jefferson College (HJC) in Washington, MS.  

The Natchez Center for American History (NCAH) is a $20 million project that includes two components: a preservation field school and an interpretive center that will share powerful stories of the rise and fall of Mississippi’s cotton kingdom era. NCAH will cultivate a strong workforce through the preservation field school, where high school and college students will gain skills critical to helping Mississippi’s economy thrive. 

“We are grateful to NEH for this major grant,” said Katie Blount, director of MDAH. “It is the only award in Mississippi and the largest of the 260 projects across the nation.” 

The HJC campus is an 80-acre site with eight main buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. HJC was Mississippi’s first institution of higher learning, with the first building at the college completed in 1820, just as the cotton economy was expanding and generating vast wealth built predominantly through slave labor. It is the birthplace of Mississippi statehood, where delegates gathered to write the state’s first constitution. Jefferson College operated for many years as a preparatory school and later as Jefferson Military College. And it served briefly as a Freedmen’s Bureau after the Civil War. 

Restoration and development of Historic Jefferson College are key components of MDAH’s strategic plan for southwest Mississippi, where it operates two other historic sites—the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Natchez and Windsor Ruins near Port Gibson. NCAH will serve as a gateway to understanding the region’s history and its significance in the greater American story.  

Restoration work will begin in spring 2024 thanks to a National Park Service Save America’s Treasures grant and congressionally-directed funding awarded to MDAH in 2023, which together provide over $600,000 in support for the project. A generous grant of $250,000 from Entergy Mississippi to the Foundation for Mississippi History will also support restoration work at HJC. In addition, MDAH has secured support for NCAH from the Mississippi Legislature.

NEH Challenge Programs grants strengthen the institutional base and organizational capacity of humanities organizations in the long term. Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants leverage federal funding to strengthen and sustain humanities infrastructure and capacity-building activities at cultural institutions. 

National Endowment for the Humanities: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.

For more information, call 601-576-6850, or email info@mdah.ms.gov.    

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The Two Mississippi Museums will host the 2024 MLK Night of Culture at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 15, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This event is made possible through support from FedEx.

Hosted by local Jackson artist and producer 5th Child, this year's Night of Culture theme honors the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer.

Artists performing original pieces centered on freedom, voting rights, and education include:

Musician - Tyler Greer

African Drumming - Alkebulan

Spoken Word - Vortex, JT The Poet, Brittany Wilson, and Fran Wade

Vocalists - Shelby Greer, Ally Durr, and Samantha Morrow; Miss Black Mississippi USA Talented Teen 2024

Dance - Mississippi Elite Dance and Cheer

Visual Art - Al Thomas, Kira Cummings, and Kevin Brown

This event is free and open to the public. In case the auditorium capacity is reached, overflow space will be open in the Trustmark Community Room and Spiro Pete Cora Classroom. Guests can access the free visitor parking garage from Jefferson Street between Amite and Mississippi streets.

Dr. King’s involvement in Mississippi included visiting Greenwood in support of Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, testifying in support of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) during the 1964 Democratic National Convention, and continuing James Meredith’s March Against Fear following the assassination attempt against Meredith in 1966. 

For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov. 

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The Old Capitol Museum has extended its visitor hours to Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email Info@mdah.ms.gov.

Reverend Reginald Buckley of Jackson has been elected to the board of trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). The action took place at a meeting of the board on Tuesday, December 19. Buckley’s nomination will be submitted to the Mississippi State Senate for confirmation. 

“Reverend Buckley has a wealth of pastoral and leadership experience,” said MDAH board president Spence Flatgard. “I am thrilled he agreed to join our Board. MDAH will benefit greatly from his insight and enthusiasm.” 

At a meeting of religious leaders convened by MDAH in 2022 through a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant, Buckley outlined plans of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi, Inc. (GMBSC) to make capital improvements to Huddleston Memorial Chapel at historic Natchez College—a historically Black college open from 1884 to 1989. This preservation project is now supported, in part, by the Lilly Endowment grant.  

Lilly Endowment awarded the grant to the Foundation for Mississippi History through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative, a nationwide effort to help museums and other cultural institutions improve the public’s understanding of the role of religion in the U.S. and the beliefs and practices of diverse religious communities. 

Buckley has served as a pastor at Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church since 2007 and became senior pastor in January 2015. He is president of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi and has served as chairman of the board of trustees for the Mississippi Baptist Seminary.  

Buckley has served on the board of directors for the Hinds County Economic Development Authority, was a W.K. Kellogg Fellow, and was a member of the inaugural class of the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute. He is married to Lecretia A. Buckley, and they are the parents of two children, Jonathan and Anna.  

Members of the MDAH Board of Trustees serve six-year terms and must be confirmed by the state senate. Other current members of the board of trustees are Spence Flatgard of Jackson, president; Hilda Cope Povall of Cleveland, vice president; Carter Burns of Natchez; Nancy Carpenter of Columbus; Betsey Hamilton of New Albany; Mark Keenum of Starkville; and TJ Taylor of Madison.  

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is the second-oldest state department of archives and history in the United States. The department collects, preserves, and provides access to the archival resources of the state, administers various museums and historic sites, and oversees statewide programs for historic preservation, state and local government records management, and publications. 

For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.

The Two Mississippi Museums’ 2022 exhibit The World of Marty Stuart won the 2023 Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) Exhibition Competition’s Bronze Award in the ‘Over $100,000 Budget’ category. Awards in this category are given to museums that demonstrate a commitment to best practices and professional standards in museum exhibition design. The Exhibition Competition received twenty-nine entries from twenty-seven institutions. 

“We are very proud of the staff who worked creatively and diligently to produce this beautiful exhibit that showcased a significant part of the amazing county music collection of musician and artist Marty Stuart,” said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH), which administers the Two Mississippi Museums. “MDAH is honored to be celebrated for sharing stories of the region’s culture and history.”  

The World of Marty Stuart exhibit featured Stuart’s personal memorabilia collection, which he started collecting during childhood and has continued cultivating through his journey as a professional musician working with music legends like Johnny Cash and Lester Flatt. Stuart’s dedication to preserving the legacy of American music through his personal photography was also explored in the exhibit.  

SEMC presented the award to staff of the Two Mississippi Museums at its annual awards luncheon on November 15, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. Award winners will be announced in the Fall 2023 edition of INSIDE SEMC, a digital publication of the Southeastern Museums Conference.  

SEMC is a nonprofit membership organization, an association of museums, museum staff, independent professionals and corporate partners focused on the southeastern United States including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.  

How to Join this Public Meeting of the Mississippi State Records Committee Meeting (src)

The src will review, approve, disapprove, amend or modify records control schedules for all state agencies, boards, and commissions at 10 a.m. for the following date: Thursday, October 24. Once approved, schedules shall have the force of effect of law. 

Written comments must be presented no less than five (5) days before the scheduled meeting, by mail or personal delivery, to the attention of the Director of the Department of Archives and History at 200 North Street, Jackson MS 39201, in accordance with the information provided at https://www.mdah.ms.gov/sites/default/files/2020-02/State-Records-Committee-Rules-and-Procedures.pdf. 

The meeting packet for Thursday, July 18, can be found here: https://www.mdah.ms.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/July-2024-Meeting-Packet.pdf.

This public meeting may be joined via Zoom video from (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android): https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82401780415?pwd=jYYtzHA1FzzmSrePq1i10oELaKin1o.1#success

Meeting ID: 824 0178 0415

Passcode: 014925

Or Telephone: Dial: USA (312) 626-6799 (Chicago) Find local numbers: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdO3eF1xBF

For more information, call 601-576-6850 or e-mail info@mdah.ms.gov

On Friday, December 1, the Possum Ridge model train exhibit will open at the Two Mississippi Museums. There is no charge to view the exhibit, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11 to 5 p.m. The Possum Ridge exhibit will be closed on December 25 and will end on December 31. 

For more than forty years, the model trains and town of Possum Ridge have been a holiday tradition delighting both children and adults. The site depicts a typical Mississippi railroad town of the 1940s. In its first year, it consisted of a single block of an electrified Main Street with ten buildings, including a bank, dry goods store, newspaper office, and restaurant. 

Today the trains circle a town that has grown to include a depot, church, bakery, barbershop, icehouse, sawmill, cotton gin, train yard, and much more. There are also houses located off Main Street, farmsteads, a small airport, and even a river baptism scene. 

For more information, call 601-576-6800 or email info@mdah.ms.gov. 

Friday, December 1, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) will host its annual Christmas by Candlelight Tour, a free, festive evening filled with live holiday music, holiday themed craft activities, sweet treats for all, and a photo opportunity with Santa Claus.  

Christmas by Candlelight Tour sites will include the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, Old Capitol Museum, Two Mississippi Museums, and Mississippi State Capitol.  

“Christmas by Candlelight is one of our most cherished nights of the year at MDAH,” said Katie Blount, MDAH director. “So many happy memories are made among families and friends while experiencing the festive atmosphere and beauty of the Old Capitol Museum, Mississippi State Capitol, Two Mississippi Museums, and Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, all brilliantly adorned in holiday decor.” 

Visitors can take advantage of free shuttle buses running between MDAH tour sites, walk or drive, and come and go. Parking is free at the Two Mississippi Museums visitor parking garage and the Mississippi State Capitol parking lot. Street parking is also free at each location.  

The Mississippi Museum Store at the Two Mississippi Museums will be open during Christmas by Candlelight for holiday shopping fun and a 15 percent discount will be available on all merchandise.

The Christmas by Candlelight Tour is presented in participation with the City with Soul and Downtown Jackson Partners' Capital City Lights, featuring family-friendly activities, shopping, tours, food vendors, the City of Jackson Christmas tree lighting ceremony at City Hall, and much more.

Christmas by Candlelight Tour

Two Mississippi Museums  

5 p.m. Johnson Elementary School Choir 

6 p.m. Jim Hill High School Choir 

7 p.m. Germantown High School Choir 

* Model trains and town of Possum Ridge on second floor * Shop at the Mississippi Museum Store * Holiday craft activities  

Governor’s Mansion  

* Photos with Santa Claus * Trackless train rides * Hot cocoa and cookies * Self-guided tours of the historic mansion and East Garden *

4 p.m. Zacharia Smith performs

6:30 p.m. Holly Brand performs

State Capitol  

5–8 p.m. Sessions Jazz Ensemble  

* Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives are open for all to enter. * Offices of the Speaker of the House and the Governor are available for viewing. * Stop by the Capitol Gift Shop for that special Christmas gift.  

Old Capitol Museum  

4-8 p.m. 41^st Army Band

6-6:45 p.m. Holmes County Central High School Singers  

* Enjoy festive holiday lighting, traditional decorations, and faux snow on the grounds. * Eudora Welty House & Garden staff will offer holiday ornament crafts in the North corridor.  

For more information about the Christmas by Candlelight Tour, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov. 

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) is accepting applications for the 2024 Eudora Welty Research Fellowship, 2024 Medgar and Myrlie Evers Research Fellowship, and inaugural Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship. The competitive scholarships may be used for research at MDAH for a minimum of two weeks during the summer of 2024.  

Eudora Welty Research Fellowship 

Offered in partnership with the Eudora Welty Foundation, the annual Eudora Welty Research Fellowship awards a $5,000 stipend to one graduate student to conduct research using the Eudora Welty Collection at MDAH for at least two weeks during the summer.   

The Eudora Welty Collection is the world’s finest collection of materials related to Welty and one of the most varied literary collections in the United States. The collection is divided over forty-five series and includes manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, drawings, essays, family papers, and audio and visual material that spans Welty’s entire life.   

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Research Fellowship  

The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Research Fellowship is offered in partnership with the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute and awards a $5,000 stipend to one graduate student or faculty member within the first five years of their academic career to conduct research using the Medgar Wiley and Myrlie Beasley Evers Papers at MDAH for at least two weeks during the summer.   

The Medgar Wiley and Myrlie Beasley Evers Papers at MDAH include Evers and Beasley family papers dating from the early 1900s to around July 1964, when Myrlie Evers and her children moved to Claremont, CA. The papers are divided into four subgroups: the papers of Medgar Evers as Mississippi field secretary of the NAACP; family papers of Medgar Evers; family papers of Myrlie Evers; and records relating to the case of the State of Mississippi v. Byron De La Beckwith.   

Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship  

MDAH is delighted to announce the new Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship to encourage and support the use of the many archival collections concerning religious history in Mississippi held by the department.  This fellowship is part of MDAH's Religion Initiative, which is made possible by funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.

This competitive fellowship opportunity offers a $5,000 stipend to a student enrolled in a graduate or doctoral program at an accredited college or university with an interest in conducting primary source research in the wealth of archival materials concerning religious history in Mississippi and related materials at MDAH.   

The recipient of each fellowship is expected to conduct research in residence at the archives for a minimum of two weeks in Jackson during the summer of 2024, during the period of May to September.  

The deadline for all 2024 fellowship applications is March 1, 2024. Additional information, including the application forms for the individual fellowships can be found at mdah.ms.gov/careers-volunteering/fellowship-opportunities.

For additional information and questions about the Eudora Welty Fellowship, e-mail Lis Cambonga at ecambonga@mdah.ms.gov.   

For additional information and questions about the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Fellowship and Religion in Mississippi History Fellowship, email Laura Heller at lheller@mdah.ms.gov.      

On Thursday, October 5, from 5 p.m.–6:30 p.m., Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) staff will provide an update regarding plans for re-opening the Windsor Ruins site, the historic site of the Daniell Plantation. The meeting will be held in the Clinton Bristow Hall at Alcorn State University.

MDAH staff will discuss the status of the column stabilization project that is near completion at Windsor Ruins and engage with meeting attendees to discuss how to enhance interpretation and stories about Windsor Ruins. This valued public input will assist MDAH’s ongoing research and development for new signage at the site, marketing materials, and more. No registration is required to attend the meeting. Port Gibson residents who attended a previous meeting in July helped researchers by asking questions and suggesting angles to explore.

“We invite people in the community to give us input on how MDAH should tell the stories that Windsor evokes—the wealth generated through cotton production, enslavement, the Civil War, and Reconstruction,” said Michael Morris, director of the Two Mississippi Museums. “Among the new stories we will share are the results of genealogy research connecting enslaved people with descendants currently living in Claiborne County and across the country.” 

Windsor Plantation, one of the largest private residences in the state, was built for Smith Coffee Daniell II in 1861. It was constructed near the town of Bruinsburg, where Union soldiers crossed the Mississippi River to begin their quest to capture Vicksburg. It was destroyed by fire in 1890. 

More than a century of exposure to the elements has caused erosion to the 45-foot-tall masonry columns and fracturing of the cast iron capitals. In 2016, MDAH commissioned an architectural conservator to study the site.  

MDAH was founded in 1902 to collect, preserve, and provide access to the archival resources of the state.  

Community meeting information: 

Thursday, October 5, 2023 

Clinton Bristow Dining Hall

Alcorn State University Campus 

Lorman, MS 

5 p.m.–6:30 p.m.