It’s no secret to Mississippians that people from the Magnolia State often go on to do great things. Now, a new exhibit in Jackson will celebrate those accomplishments along with the industries and creative traditions that have not only shaped Mississippi but also influenced the nation.
The incoming “Mississippi Made” exhibit at the Two Mississippi Museums will be presented in celebration of America’s semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – and trace more than two centuries of innovation, craftsmanship, and cultural influence through a fitting number of 250 artifacts. The exhibit spans from the early 19th century to the present day and will reflect the state’s role in various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, music, fashion, science, literature, and the arts.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which operates the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, announced the new exhibit will open March 7 and remain through Nov. 6.
“The stories featured in ‘Mississippi Made’ illustrate how Mississippi’s people and ideas have made a lasting impact on both the nation and the world,” MDAH director Katie Blount said. “This exhibit offers visitors an opportunity to better understand those contributions through the objects that document that legacy.”
Objects that will do just that and be on display include 19th century farm equipment and tools, a bathrobe worn by Elvis Presley, artifacts connected to B.B. King and Jimmie Rodgers, portraits of legendary authors William Faulkner and Eudora Welty painted by local artists, Welty’s own typewriter, and set pieces from Grisham’s “A Time to Kill” on-screen adaptation.
Design, craft, and cultural expression will be featured through pottery by George Ohr, textiles by Ethel Wright, and a gown worn by Miss America Mary Ann Mobley. The exhibit will even showcase the state’s on-the-road and out-of-this-world roles with vehicles manufactured locally by Toyota and Nissan and a NASA flight jacket worn by astronaut Richard Truly on display.
“‘Mississippi Made’ brings together objects that tell a broader story about the state’s creativity, industry, and innovation,” Two Mississippi Museums director Michael Morris said. “Each artifact reflects how Mississippians responded to local needs in ways that shaped life far beyond this state.”