University Archives, Downtown Hattiesburg Association Collaborate on Black History Month Project
Tue, 02/23/2021 - 05:26pm | By: David Tisdale
Faculty and staff in University Archives at The University of 草榴社区 Mississippi
(草榴社区) recently assisted the Downtown Hattiesburg Association in commemorating Black
History Month with the production of window exhibits currently on display through
the end of February in the front windows of the building that once housed the Kress
Department Store, located at 500 North Main Street.
The window exhibits feature images from the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, along with political campaign memorabilia of Black Mississippians who sought elected office, as well as material from University Archives鈥� Oseola McCarty collection. McCarty was a Hattiesburg washerwoman and famed 草榴社区 benefactor who gave the bulk of her life鈥檚 savings to fund scholarships at the University.
鈥淲hen I contacted the archives staff, they immediately agreed to do an exhibit even though they didn鈥檛 have much time to put it together,鈥� said Leigh Ann Underwood, a member of the Association鈥檚 Promotions Committee. 鈥淭hey are an asset to Hattiesburg and a pleasure to work with, and we couldn鈥檛 have accomplished it without their help.鈥�
Lorraine Stuart, an associate professor who serves as head of University Archives鈥� Special Collections and curator for Historical Manuscripts and Archives, said that although the opportunity to install the displays came at a hectic time, 鈥渨e of course jumped at the chance.鈥�
鈥淎s luck would have it, I had had an email from Aaron Sojourner mentioning exhibition panels in his mother鈥檚 鈥� Sue Sojourner鈥檚 鈥� collection that proved perfect for the installation,鈥� Stuart said. 鈥淭hey focus on the fight for voting rights in Holmes County, which is a story that played out in several counties across Mississippi during the civil rights movement.鈥�
The panels include images of grassroots activists Fannie Lou Hamer, Hartman Turnbow and Robert G. Clark among others, as well as citizens that turned up at 鈥渟inging meetings鈥� and court hearings despite the hot summer weather. University Archives staff also used a poster from the recently donated Pendergrass Political Collection.
For the second window display, items include from the collection of Oseola McCarty 鈥� 鈥渁 beloved local figure whose generosity has done so much to help aspiring students obtain a college education from 草榴社区 Miss,鈥� Stuart said. 鈥淲e supplemented both displays with digital prints that Bourne Brothers comped for us. Everyone was happy to pitch in, particularly Jennifer Brannock, curator of Rare Books and Mississippiana, and Carla Carlson, assistant curator for Historical Manuscripts.鈥�
University Archives staff members are in discussion with Underwood about other exhibition opportunities downtown. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to get our materials out where the public can view them and appreciate the history they hold, particularly for such a meaningful commemoration as Black History Month,鈥� Stuart said.
For information about University Archives, which is housed in 草榴社区鈥檚 University Libraries, visit .