Sermon about Pascagoula Alien Abduction

On October 11, 1973, two Pascagoula fishermen claimed to have been abducted by aliens.  The abductees, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker, reported the abduction to Jackson County police officers.  After questioning the men, the police officers left Parker and Hickson in the room alone.  The two men discussed the incident not knowing that the tape recorder was still running.   The recording provides a glimpse into their state of mind after the incident.  Within 24 hours of the abduction, reporters who had heard about the possible abduction requested interviews with the men.  Because of his experiences, Dick Cavett asked Hickson to appear on his show. 

The public interest in the case created excitement and fear in many people.  Rev. Bill Riddick, founder and pastor at the Ocean Springs Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, MS, claimed to have received information about the abduction that had not been distributed to the community.  In his sermon on October 14, 1973, he used this information and the coverage of the case to address his thoughts on the role of aliens in religion.  This sermon was recorded and distributed on LP records.  Special Collections has a copy of the album with the cover that provides information about the abduction and Rev. Riddick.

This album has been digitized and can be found in our Digital Collections. From this page, click on "Link to Resource" to listen to the recording. If you'd like to listen to the original album, visit Special Collections located on the 3rd floor of McCain Library & Archives at the University of Southern Mississippi. For more information about this item, contact Jennifer Brannock at or 601.266.4347. To see more Items of the Month, click here.

Additional sources

Hickson, Charles; Mendez, William.  UFO Contact at Pascagoula.  Gautier, Miss: Charles Hickson, 1983.
Cook Library or McCain Library TL789.3 .H53 1983b
http://catalog.lib.usm.edu/record=b1977346~S1

Hickson, Charles.  An Oral History with Mr. Charles Hickson: Native Mississippian.  Vol. 108.  Mississippi Oral History Program at the University of Southern Mississippi.
McCain Library F341.5 .M57x vol. 108
http://catalog.lib.usm.edu/record=b1630571~S1

“In Contact” The Pascagoula UFO Abduction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeBnI-xvJ1U