Mississippi Celebrates Archives Month all across the state
For more information
Contact: Mona Vance
(662) 329-5304
COLUMBUS, Miss.-Through the month of October, archives and repositories across Mississippi will host various events and activities in promotion of Archives Month. Mississippi’s statewide participation is an extension of the national celebration of American Archives Month hosted by the Society of American Archivists. Archives Month is a way to raise public awareness by calling attention to the role various organizations play in preserving historical and cultural records.
This year’s theme, “History Lives in Mississippi,” allows archives to showcase their multifaceted collections that represent an historical and ever evolving state. Organizations are participating in a variety of ways from hosting exhibits to conducting tours. Listed below are just some of the events across the state planned for Archives Month this year.
Last years events centered around the theme “Faces of Mississippi” and a multitude of institutions did their part to highlight the importance of preserving our state’s history. Society of Mississippi Archivist President Jennifer Brannock said, “By coordinating activities statewide, archives and libraries around Mississippi become aware of activities hosted by other institutions in the area. It is also a great way to let the people of Mississippi know about the invaluable resources available in their state.”
Archives Month in Mississippi is promoted by the Society of Mississippi Archivists (SMA) and sponsored by the Mississippi State Historical Records Advisory Board. The Society of Mississippi Archivists celebrates the important work of preserving the cultural heritage of Mississippi and serves as a point of information for people interested in the rich documentary history of the state. The Mississippi State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) provides professional assistance, resources, and programming to support the preservation and accessibility of the state’s invaluable historical documents and records. It serves as the central advisory board for historical records planning and project assistance in Mississippi. For more information on SMA and its activities go to www.msarchivists.org. For further information on SHRAB go to www.mdah.state.ms.us/admin/shrab/shrab.php.
Archives are locations were collections and records of historical value are maintained, preserved, and made accessible to the public. They may be located in historic societies, academic or public libraries, court houses, corporations, or governmental entities. The first celebration of Archives Week can be traced to the Archives Round Table of Metropolitan New York in New York City in 1989. More information on archivists and American Archives Month can be found at the Society of American Archivists website at www.archivists.org.
For more information on Archives Month events, contact Mona K. Vance with the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library at (662) 329-5304.
Archives Month Events:
Delta State University’s Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives and Museum (Cleveland)
• An exhibit titled Neglected Histories: The Importance of Preservation will showcase some of the items taken from the Archives that have arrived to the Archives damaged. It runs from September 25 through December 19.
• Also, as part of an Archives Month pre-view event, author, Dr. John Jung, will present his book Southern Fried Rice, his personal memoire of growing up as the only Chinese family in Macon, Georgia, and their eventual move to California in his early teens. The event is schedule for September 7 in Jobe Hall from 2-4pm.
• In addition, Pictures from the Past: A Celebration of MS Delta Chinese History exhibit, will open with a reception following Dr. Jung’s lecture. The exhibit features photographs, snapshots and oral history stories from local Chinese who grew up in the MS Delta.
• Throughout October, be sure to check out the Archives web page for information on preservation best practices at http://archives.deltastate.edu.
For further information regarding any of these events contact Emily Weaver at 662-846-4780.
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library (Columbus)
• An exhibit titled “Religion, Romance, and Rebellion: The Plays of Tennessee Williams” explores how the cast of characters created by Tennessee Williams all suffered from a conflict over their values versus those of conventional morality. The exhibit utilizes the collection of Tennessee Williams posters and playbills housed with the Billups-Garth Archives at the library. It runs through the months of September and October.
• A display titled “Columbus Archives: Connecting People with the Past” reveals the various historical and genealogical records located at The Local History Room. The exhibit also highlights methods of preserving documents and photographs. It runs through the months of September and October.
For more information contact Mona K. Vance at 662-329-5304.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History (Jackson)
• Presents two programs as part of the History is Lunch series. The first highlights the work of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell. Titled “Stories of Justice and Redemption,” the presentation is scheduled for October 15th at 12pm. Since 1989, Mitchell, reporter for The Clarion-Ledger, has pursued evidence in the nation’s most notorious killings from the Civil Rights era. Thus far, his efforts have helped put four Klansmen behind bars: Byron De La Beckwith, Sam Bowers, Bobby Cherry, and Edgar Ray Killen.
• The second program is a lecture by Dr. Chester M. “Bo” Morgan, history professor at Delta State University. The presentation is titled “Too Small To Be a Nation, Too Big To Be an Insane Asylum: Mississippi in the Twentieth Century” and is scheduled for October 29 at 12pm.
For more information please call either Chrissy Wilson or Julia Young at 601-576-6850.
Mississippi State University’s Special Collections Department (Starkville)
• Presents an exhibit titled “Living History in the MSU Libraries Special Collections” showcasing photographs, documents, and ephemera from their collections showing various aspects of life in Mississippi’s history.
For additional information regarding this exhibit contact Michael Ballard at 662-325-7680.
University of Mississippi Department of Archives & Special Collections (Oxford)
• In honor of the first U.S. Presidential Debate occurring at Ole Miss on September 26, the J.D. Williams Library will host a total of three Brown Bag events. One of those events, “History Lives in Mississippi: Creating the Presidential Debate Collection” relates specifically to Archives Month. It will be on October 23 in the Faulkner Room of the Archives & Special Collections in the Library. Audience members are invited to bring debate-related material (documents, files, clippings, recordings, ephemera, and memorabilia) that they wish to donate to the Presidential Debate Collection. The event will include the following discussions:
o Dr. Andy Mullins, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, will discuss the university’s application and planning for the debate
o Dr. David Sansing will place the event in the context of university history
o Dr. Andy Harper will play footage of oral interviews and other debate recordings.
The general public, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and Oxford residents are all encouraged to attend.
For further information contact Leigh McWhite at 662-915-1850.