Three Reasons to Visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Museum wall containing words from the movement from
Fannie Lou Hamer, John Henry Holtzclaw, and others.

Over the past week or so, there has been a great deal of conversation about the president’s visit to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum's opening events. I was and remain offended by the visit, and I have a tough time believing that the President wanted to travel to Jackson, MS for the opening of this museum. To add insult to injury, I’m having an even harder time taking the visit seriously because it me 45 minutes to tour the civil rights space while it was incomplete, and his tour was 17 minutes…for both the civil rights and state history museums. 

Though the president’s presence left me puzzled, it certainly did not overshadow the powerful remarks of the esteemed guests like Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams, civil rights activist, or LaJune Montgomery Tabron, President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the presence of civil rights veterans, the hundreds of guests who shared their museum experience across social media platforms, or the protests of Blackleaders and organizations.

With this in mind, on the final day of a National Endowment for the Humanities and the Hamer Institute funded summer seminar centered on Mississippi’s contributions to the national civil rights narrative, I had the pleasure of touring The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum guided by Pam Junior, Museum Director. Although the museum was not complete during my visit, I left awe-struck at the thoughtfulness of the museum’s layout, in deep reflection over the rich history presented within the walls, and delighted knowing that this space would soon be complete and available to visitors.

Here are three reasons why you should plan a trip to visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum…

1. Eight Exhibit Spaces

As Pamela Junior guided our group through the museum space, her description of the museums plans painted a captivating picture of the plight for civil rights in the state of Mississippi and its lasting impact.

Exhibit space highlighting The Tougaloo Nine. 

The exhibit halls are positioned in circular form, inviting maze-like entry through visuals and writing of the movement. Some exhibit rooms include ceiling height visuals. One such powerful visual moment includes a panoramic presentation of 300+ mugshots of freedom riders who were arrested during the summer of 1961. 

Additionally, the walls are filled with images and words from the movement that draw viewers to reflect, inquire, and/or be inspired. Many of the walls include Tracey Sugarman’s drawings and excerpts from his writing…remarkable work.

drawings & writing from the Sugarrman collection

drawings & writing from the Sugarrman collection

My favorite exhibit was “This Little Light of Mine,” the center most exhibit space complete with a luminous sculpture suspended from the ceiling with audio from the movement filling the open space.

Have you ever visited a museum and felt a bit overwhelmed by the information you were encountering and the thoughts and/or emotions they evoked? 

I certainly have. As Ms. Junior explained the vision for this space, she was clear about the intentional circular design plan to allow guest a space to pause between exhibits for reflection or rejoicing or simply a break. The title of the room functions as a metaphor for these potential moments in hopes of allow visitors to connect their light with the continued work of civil rights justice.

2. A(nother) Reason to Visit Mississippi

Many of my friends and colleagues who have never visited Mississippi often provide a laundry list of reasons why they haven’t visited the state spanning their issues surrounding the state's history with racism or the state's culture just too “backwards thinking.” (We must remember that every space  is shaped by unique histories. Sometimes these histories are complicated and colored by diverse people, events, and legacies.) But, there are many reasons to visit Mississippi from it’s rich culture to breathtaking landscape…and now you can add the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to that list.

3. Two Museum Experiences

      It is important to note that the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shares its lot with the Mississippi StateHistory Museum. Although my tour did not include a preview of this space, I am interested in experiencing the state museum and understanding how the museum narratives speak with and against one another.  

      The Civil Rights Museum is the only state funded museum dedicated to the U.S. civil rights movement. Also, it highlights the people of the movement and situates the movement in historical and continued contexts…very important to the engagement with the museum’s contents.

      Visiting the museum might prompt you to visit other civil rights centered historic sites and museums (TougalooCollege, Jackson State University, Smith Robertson Museum, Medgar Evers Home Museum, and several others) in Jackson and nearby (Port Gibson, MS, the Mississippi Delta, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley StateUniversity), if time allows. 

       I plan to visit the museum in late January, and look forward to sharing my thoughts then.