Discover Mississippi’s History and Heritage
Mississippi wants you to fully immerse yourself in our history, regardless of whether you are a visitor or a resident of the state. Watching a war reenactment, experiencing Native American culture firsthand, or hearing oral histories about living in the past can provide incredibly real experiences. As Mississippians share our rich heritage with the globe, it's all here.
You'll discover history maintained and cherished throughout the whole state, from antebellum homes and Civil War sites at Baldwyn, Brice's Crossroads, Corinth, Columbus, Vicksburg, Natchez, and Port Gibson to the Natchez Trace Parkway and its visitors center in Tupelo. African American legacy is highlighted in celebrations, museums, and tourist destinations across Mississippi, including Medgar Evers' home in Jackson and markers for the expanding Mississippi Freedom Trail. The Choctaw Indians first arrived in Mississippi in the early 1500s. The Choctaw Indian Reservation currently encompasses 35,000 acres of tribal land in 10 counties in Mississippi.
The Civil War
On the soil of Mississippi, some of the fiercest and bloodiest engagements of the Civil War were fought. The only way to really understand the Civil War is to walk around the state's museums and among the monuments and locations associated with it. You can learn more about important battles and the participants while getting a first-hand view of a period in Mississippi's history.
Architectural gems that still survive today offer a glimpse of the extravagant lifestyles that Mississippians led before the war as well as how some of them lived in luxury. The intricate Longwood, the largest octagonal house in America, Rosalie, where you can experience the splendor of Mississippi's past through an educational tour led by knowledgeable costumed guides, and Beauvoir, the former residence of Confederate President Jefferson Davis are some of these historical buildings. There are other Mississippi museums, historical residences, and Civil War landmarks spread out around the state. History buffs should also visit the Ulysses S. Grant Library and Collection at Mississippi State University, the Vicksburg National Military Park, and the Corinth Interpretive Center next to Shiloh National Military Park.
The Civil Rights Movement
Visitors to Mississippi will be inspired by the resilient spirit that saw Mississippi through so many hardships in the past. The history of Mississippi is deeply entwined with and inseparable from its rich culture of faith, music, and cuisine, as well as with unwavering tenacity. The Smith Robertson Museum in Jackson, Mississippi, which is Mississippi's capital for African American culture, is one of the best venues to document this rich past. It's the perfect location to absorb the history of a people that profoundly altered Mississippi's and the rest of the country's history.
Native American Heritage
The history of Native Americans in Mississippi is another essential component. Actually a Native American word, "Mississippi" means "Father of Waters" Mississippi was a comfortable home to a broader diversity of tribes and had a higher Indian population than any other Southern state. Mississippi was rich in flora that produced roots, nuts, berries, and herbs as well as a large population of deer, bear, buffalo, and fish.
In the state, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is still very present. The casino owned by the tribe in Neshoba County blends in well with its history. The casino shop sells different Choctaw products in addition to the well-known Choctaw baskets. Plan your trip for the summer to experience basket-making, the historical sport of stickball, and native dance at the Choctaw Indian Fair. You can also visit other cultural sites all year long, including the Winterville Mounds and Emerald Mound, the second-largest ceremonial mound in the United States.