MDAH Board of Trustees

Rosemary Taylor Williams, a historic preservationist who served on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees, is remembered by MDAH for her leadership and dedication to protecting some of the state's most significant historic resources. Williams, 88, died peacefully at her home on Oct. 25, 2026.

Williams served 20 years on the MDAH board, beginning in 1992. She became the board's first vice president in 2008. 

Her contributions to historic preservation were particularly significant in the city of Corinth and in Alcorn County, where she led a successful grassroots effort to preserve the area's Civil War sites. 

"Rosemary Williams understood that historic preservation is about much more than saving buildings," said MDAH Executive Director Barry White. "It is about preserving the stories, places, and shared experiences that define our communities.”

Born July 17, 1938, in Mobile, Alabama, Williams was raised in Lucedale and earned a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from the University of Mississippi in 1960. That same year, she moved to Corinth and taught at Corinth High School. She was married to H. L. "Sandy" Williams Jr. for 66 years.

Beginning in 1993, Williams chaired the Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission, building partnerships among local, state, and federal organizations to protect historic sites and interpret one of the most consequential chapters in Mississippi history.

Through her leadership and persistent advocacy, more than 20 historic sites associated with the Siege and Battle of Corinth were preserved. She also helped secure the establishment and funding of the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, as well as efforts to protect the Corinth Contraband Camp, Coliseum Civic Center, Verandah-Curlee House, and other important landmarks.

In 2015, the Mississippi Historical Society presented her with the Dunbar Rowland Award for her lifelong contributions to preserving, studying, and interpreting Mississippi history.

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 [email protected].