Exploring Special Collections at Mississippi Museums

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) is a great resource for uncovering the history of the state. It collects and preserves objects of all kinds that help tell the story of Mississippi, including archival records, historic objects, and archaeological artifacts that span 15,000 years. Admission to both Mississippi museums is free on Sundays. The two Mississippi museums will be closed on Thursday, November 24 for Thanksgiving.

The University of Mississippi (UM) libraries provide free public access to libraries in the United States, and have been a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) since 1883. Archives and Special Collections preserves and organizes unique materials that document the history of MSU, Mississippi, the South, and beyond. We collect articles related to Mississippi and the Southern United States in formats ranging from books, family documents, correspondence, blues recordings, movies related to Mississippi, and other materials related to the state. The Mississippi Department of Transportation produced a directional signal during a peak period of social distancing in the state. This collection includes documents from the Evers and Beasley families, including documents from Medgar Evers as Mississippi field secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and records related to the case of The State of Mississippi vs. Mississippi. Speaking of Mississippi is a podcast that includes interviews with authors and experts about the state's most important moments and overlooked stories.

The MDAH also has many applications for Confederate pensions submitted by veterans and their widows who lived in Mississippi after the war. Individually catalogued printed, audiovisual, digital, and other materials are selected for documentation on Mississippi and its inhabitants, most of which are Mississippi stamps. Whether you're interested in discovering a Mississippi story, preserving it for future generations, or sharing it with others, MDH can help. Camp McCain was one of the four main prisoner-of-war base camps established in Mississippi to hold captured Axis troops, mainly on the North African front. If you're looking to explore special collections at Mississippi museums, MDAH is an excellent resource.

Kevin Gilstad
Kevin Gilstad

Wannabe reader. Hardcore zombie geek. Beer ninja. Total twitter maven. Wannabe zombie enthusiast. Proud music lover.