Exhibit Highlights Mississippi's Bicentennial

News item published on: 2017-06-19 15:56:49

On December 10, 1817, the United States Congress admitted Mississippi to the Union as the 20th state. In 2017, the state celebrates the 200th year anniversary of its statehood. Steeped in unique history and heritage, Mississippi has experienced the good and the bad, from the losses of the Civil War, to the struggles and successes of the civil rights movement. 

Mississippi is home to individuals ranging from influential musicians Elvis Presley and B.B. King, to some of the most revered activists Fannie Lou Hamer and Medgar Evers. With its distinctive cuisine, architecture, music, and landscape, the Magnolia State has a fascinating story to tell. The exhibit, Mississippi Bicentennial: Celebrating the State’s 200th Anniversary, explores several aspects of the state’s diverse history and culture.

The exhibit devotes attention to its involvement in the Civil War, local occurrences during the civil rights movement, Mississippi authors and literature, the history of The University of Southern Mississippi, the development of local tourism, and the political history of the state. Curated by history PhD student Olivia Moore, this exhibit features materials from a variety of different collections located in Special Collections at McCain Library and Archives. Some of these include the Southern Tourism Collection, the Theodore G. Bilbo Papers, the Walen Civil War Collection, and the P.D. East Collection.

Mississippi Bicentennial: Celebrating the State’s 200th Anniversary will be on display in Special Collections on the 3rd floor of McCain Library and Archives in room 305 through February 2018.

Contact Jennifer Brannock at  or 601.266.4347 with questions about the exhibit or any of the collections.