Mississippi Information
Map of Forks of the Road, Natchez, Mississippi
TOWN SPOTLIGHT: OKOLONA, MISSISSIPPI
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Okolona, Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Sanborn Map Company, Sep 1899. Library of Congress
SLAVERY IN OKOLONAOKOLONA INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL"The Castle That Battle Built": Okolona Industrial School and the Failure of Accommodation, 1902-1930 is an academic article by Shaun Stalzer published in the Journal of Mississippi History (2024). The article examines the rise and challenges of one of Mississippi's most successful Black educational institutions.
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Searchable Sites for Information on Slavery in MississippiPrimary Research Databases and ArchivesThe Genealogy Center - African American Gateway: Mississippihttps://genealogycenter.info/africanamerican/results_afram.php?subject=MS This comprehensive database contains records of enslaved people from Mississippi, including slave narratives, county records mentioning slaves, and genealogical information. The site focuses on documenting the names and stories of enslaved individuals from various Mississippi counties. Mississippi Department of Archives & History - Genealogy Resourceshttp://www.mdah.ms.gov/genealogy The state's official archives contain extensive Freedman's Bureau records, including labor contracts for approximately 36,000 former slaves and marriage records of newly freed slaves. These records provide detailed information about names, ages, plantation locations, and working conditions during the immediate post-Civil War period. Library of Congress - Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives Collectionhttps://guides.loc.gov/mississippi-local-history-genealogy/digital-collections This digital collection contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery from the Federal Writers' Project conducted between 1936-1938. The narratives include interviews with former slaves from Mississippi and provide invaluable personal testimonies about life under slavery. National Archives - Civilian Records relating to Slaveryhttps://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/slavery-records-civil.html The National Archives provides access to federal census records from 1790-1860 that document enslaved people, as well as territorial papers and other government documents related to slavery. These records include slave schedules that list enslaved individuals by their owners and provide statistical information about slave populations. University Research ProjectsUniversity of Mississippi Slavery Research Grouphttps://slaveryresearchgroup.olemiss.edu This interdisciplinary research group explores the history of slavery at the University of Mississippi and in the broader Oxford community. The project has identified 11 enslaved people who labored on campus and conducts archaeological excavations of slave quarters at historic sites like Rowan Oak. Mississippi State University - The Lantern ProjectFunded by a $340,424 grant from the National Archives, this project is creating Mississippi's first institutionally supported digital database of legal records identifying victims of slavery. The database utilizes records such as inventories, bills of sale, and plantation correspondence to document the lives of enslaved individuals. Civil War & Reconstruction Governors of Mississippi ProjectAvailable at CWRGM.org, this project digitizes over 20,000 letters, telegrams, and petitions sent to Mississippi governors between 1859-1882. The collection includes correspondence from freedmen challenging unfair treatment and provides insight into the experiences of formerly enslaved people during Reconstruction. Genealogical ResourcesFamilySearch - African American Resources for Mississippihttps://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/African_American_Resources_for_Mississippi This free genealogical resource provides access to Freedman's Savings and Trust Company records and other African American genealogical materials specific to Mississippi. The site includes information about archives, libraries, and societies that can assist with African American genealogy research in the state. MSGenWeb Slave Narrative ProjectThis volunteer-driven project collects interviews conducted with Mississippi residents who were born into slavery. The alphabetical index provides access to personal narratives and testimonies from former enslaved people, offering firsthand accounts of slavery experiences in Mississippi. Mississippi State University Libraries - Mississippi Genealogy by Countyhttps://www.library.msstate.edu/specialcollections/collections/genealogy/ms This resource provides county-by-county genealogical information, including 1850 and 1860 slave schedules for various Mississippi counties. The collection offers detailed records of enslaved populations organized by geographical location. Specialized ArchivesUniversity of Mississippi Archives - Civil Rights & Race Relationshttps://guides.lib.olemiss.edu/civil_rights This archive contains manuscript collections, primary source publications, and secondary sources related to civil rights and race relations in Mississippi. The collection includes materials that document the transition from slavery through the civil rights era. Mississippi Department of Archives & History - Great Migration Initiativehttp://www.mdah.ms.gov/greatmigration This initiative focuses on the movement of African Americans from the South and includes genealogy fellowships and workshops for researching family connections to Mississippi. The program offers resources for tracing family histories that may connect to slavery-era records. These resources provide comprehensive access to slavery-related records in Mississippi, ranging from individual narratives to official government documents, and offer researchers multiple pathways to explore this important historical period. |