Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, MDAH will celebrate the lives of Governor William Winter and First Lady Elise Winter at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. The event is sponsored by Jones Walker LLP and the Foundation for Mississippi History.

Program speakers will include President Bill Clinton, the forty-second president of the United States; former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour; and former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Reuben Anderson.

Soon after William F. Winter’s death in 2020, Governor Haley Barbour described Winter to Mississippi Today as “a gentleman, honorable and gracious. While our politics didn’t always coincide, I’ve always admired him. He made great changes in the structure of Mississippi’s K-12 educational system . . . He and Mrs. Winter, who is a delightful, gracious lady, represented our state very well, both while he was in elected office and afterwards.”

William F. Winter served as Governor of Mississippi from 1980 to 1984. He had previously been elected to the state legislature, and to the offices of the state tax collector, state treasurer, and lieutenant governor. His term as governor has been nationally acclaimed for the groundbreaking passage of education reform legislation. He was later appointed to President Bill Clinton’s National Advisory Board on Race.

Throughout his political career, Elise Winter campaigned for William Winter, and she was a trusted advisor and policy advocate to her husband when he was elected to office. When Elise Winter was the state’s First Lady, she helped shepherd her husband’s key legislation and hosted social gatherings for prominent Mississippians at the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion.

Elise Winter advocated for improving the living conditions of imprisoned people, worked to increase funding for state correctional institutions, and campaigned for the construction of family visitor’s center at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman and a separate prison for women in Pearl. She was a founder, fundraiser, and volunteer of the Jackson area chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which has constructed more than 600 homes in the metro area for those in need. Elise Winter was recognized for her steadfast commitment to volunteer service during the 2015 Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence Awards.

“With Elise Winter by his side, Governor Winter enjoyed a remarkable political career, but his commitment to public service extended well beyond electoral office,” said MDAH director Katie Blount. “He led the MDAH Board of Trustees for nearly fifty years, making an unmistakable impact on the department and the state.”

William F. Winter joined the MDAH Board of Trustees in 1957. During his time as board president, Winter oversaw the opening of the Eudora Welty House & Garden, the restoration of the Old Capitol, and the construction of a state-of-the-art archives and history building that the state legislature named for him.

Winter also encouraged the department to strengthen its focus on African American history in Mississippi, acquiring significant collections of papers, mounting award-winning exhibits, and offering grants for the preservation of sites associated with African American history. Most notably, his close friendship with Myrlie Evers led to her decision to donate the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Collection to MDAH in 2002.

The opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in 2017 is Winter’s greatest legacy at MDAH. Winter helped convince state leaders of the need to build the Two Mississippi Museums, and he was instrumental in securing public and private funds for the project.

MDAH director Katie Blount said, “These museums stand at the intersection of William Winter’s greatest passions—history, education, and racial justice. Generations of young people will come here to experience the stories that have shaped our state and nation.”

More details about the celebration will be released at a later date. For more information visit mdah.ms.gov. 

The World of Marty Stuart exhibit will debut at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson on Saturday, May 7, coinciding with the inaugural Mississippi Makers Fest, a music, food, and arts festival on the museum grounds.

“We are thrilled to host The World of Marty Stuart exhibit and can’t think of a better way to kick it off than with the Mississippi Makers Fest,” said Pamela Junior, director of the Two Mississippi Museums. “Marty represents what it means to be a creative and hardworking Mississippian, and that’s what this festival will celebrate. We have a phenomenal musical lineup and several incredible food and art vendors from across the state.”

The World of Marty Stuart explores Stuart’s life and his legacy of collecting country music’s stories. The exhibit includes hundreds of items never shown before in Mississippi, including Marty’s first guitar, original handwritten Hank Williams manuscripts, guitars from Merle Haggard and Pops Staples, costumes from Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, personal items from Johnny Cash, including his first black performance suit, and much more.

"It’s been incredible to work on this exhibit with Marty Stuart, a true pioneer in the preservation of country music history," said Shane Keil, MDAH director of curatorial services. "The World of Marty Stuart not only showcases Stuart’s phenomenal artifact collection but highlights his journey to country music stardom. Visitors will see the role and influence of his small town Mississippi upbringing that took him to the world stage and ultimately has brought him back home."

The World of Marty Stuart is brought to you by the title sponsor, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, as well as by AT&T and Visit Mississippi. Visit mdah.ms.gov to learn more about the exhibit.

“Marty Stuart embodies the diligent and innovative nature of Mississippians,” said Sheila Grogan, Vice President of Community and Public Relations at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. “Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is proud to sponsor this opportunity for the community to learn more about his roots and storytelling at the Two Mississippi Museums.”

To celebrate the launch of the exhibit, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History will host the inaugural Mississippi Makers Fest. North Mississippi Allstars will headline the all-day music festival. Other performers include Mr. Sipp, Framing the Red, Chapel Hart, the Chad Wesley Band, 5th Child, and more. Entergy Plaza at the museums will be packed with dozens of art and food vendors for this free event dedicated to celebrating Mississippi creativity in all forms.

Mississippi Makers Fest is brought to you by the title sponsor, Southern Beverage Company, as well as by Nancy and Ray Neilsen, New South Radio, Visit Jackson, Visit Mississippi, C Spire, StateStreet Group, and the Foundation for Mississippi History. Visit msmakersfest.mdah.ms.gov to learn more.

“Having begun in Jackson, Mississippi in 1939, Southern Beverage Company is exceptionally excited to support local artists and makers,” said Theo P. Costas, President and CEO of Southern Beverage Co., Inc. “We feel like the Mississippi Makers Fest will be the perfect opportunity for Mississippi creatives to display their craft. We are honored to support the first Mississippi Makers Fest and look forward to its success and future.”

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), the world’s largest express transportation company, is supporting free admission to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History on Monday, January 17, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The museums will also be free on Sunday, January 16.

“We are grateful to FedEx for their continued support of our annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration,” said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

“At FedEx, we believe that when we connect people and possibilities, we can change the world,” said Rose Flenorl, manager of Global Citizenship at FedEx Services. "We are proud to support free public admission to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History, to help visitors connect with Dr. King’s legacy, and leave inspired to drive positive changes of their own.”

The museums will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, January 17. Museum hours for Sunday, January 16, are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Safety precautions at the museums include requiring all visitors to wear face masks and observe social distancing guidelines while inside the building.

At 6 p.m. on Monday, January 17, join us for the annual MLK Night of Culture program in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums. This year’s theme is “Those Who Stayed,” inspired by the stories of the individuals who remained in Mississippi during the Great Migration, a population movement of African Americans who left their homes to seek better opportunities in the northern and western states in response to racial injustice in the rural South. The event is free and includes live poetry and performances by Jackson State University’s MADDRAMA theatre troupe, Hinds Community College’s MONTAGE Theatre of Dance, and other featured artists. Seating is limited. The event will also be streamed live on the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Facebook page.

Dr. King’s involvement in Mississippi included attending the funeral of NAACP state field secretary Medgar Evers in 1963, visiting Greenwood in support of Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, and testifying in support of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) during the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

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

MDAH received the Southeastern Museums Conference's Gold Award for its recent exhibition Mississippi Distilled: Prohibition, Piety, and Politics. The Gold Award was presented in the over $100,000 budget category and recognizes museums that showcase exhibitions of merit that are well designed, have educational value, and treat the objects with care and respect. Exhibitions were judged by an appointed jury of museum professionals across the region who specialize in  curatorial studies and exhibition design. 

Mississippi Distilled was an immersive exhibit that explored the state’s tumultuous relationship with alcohol from the colonial period to today. It featured fascinating artifacts, enticing stories, and surprising images that took visitors on a journey. The exhibition ran from July 7, 2020, through June 26, 2021.

Award winners were celebrated at SEMC's 2021 annual meeting in Chattanooga, Tennessee. MDAH staff members pictured above are, on the front row (from left) Nan Prince, Jessica O'Connor, and Madeleine Miller; and, on the back row (from left), Sam Butz, Tony Schnadelbach, Barbara McClendon, Shane Keil, and Megan Bankston. 

In observance of New Year’s Day, The Two Mississippi Museums, Eudora Welty House & Garden, and Grand Village of the Natchez Indians will close early at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 31, and be closed on Saturday, January 1. The Nissan Cafe by Nick Wallace Culinary at the Two Mississippi Museums will be closed through Sunday, January 2.

The archives library will be closed Friday, December 31–Saturday, January 1.

Visit www.mdah.ms.gov/explore-mississippi for more information about each site.