Mississippi Civil Rights Museum | Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
222 NORTH STREET
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

HOURS
TUESDAY–SATURDAY 9AM–5PM
SUNDAY 11AM–5PM

Explore the Galleries

Explore the movement that changed the nation. Discover stories of Mississippians like Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Vernon Dahmer, as well as those who traveled many miles to stand beside them, come what may, in the name of equal rights for all.

Explore the Galleries at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Points of Light

The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi is full of ordinary men and women who refused to sit silently while their brothers and sisters were denied their basic freedoms. A number of these heroes are featured throughout the museum as Points of Light, shining exemplars of dignity, strength, and perseverance in the face of oppression.

Jack Reed Sr.

"I think we all have a responsibility that we do what we think is right, and I thought if I wasn’t going to say it, who was?" Tupelo businessman Jack Reed Sr. was president-elect of the Mississippi Economic Council in 1963. On January 22, he spoke before hundreds of business leaders and legislators in Jackson—only a few months after the integration of the University of Mississippi. Tensions ran high, with state leaders pledging to close all public schools. In the landmark speech, Reed condemned the violence and made the case for education and academic freedom. His audience walked out. Later, letters of support from White Mississippians poured in. Reed went on to become a leading moderate voice and lifelong supporter of public education.

Dr. L.C. Dorsey

A native of the Mississippi Delta, L.C. Dorsey began working in her community for Operation Head Start in 1964. Her involvement led to the founding of Mississippi’s Office of Economic Opportunity and eventually to working within the Movement as a part of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). During her time with MFDP, Dorsey organized marches, boycotts, and voter registration drives throughout the state. After completing her doctorate in social work at Howard University, she resumed her duties with Head Start, serving as director of social services. In 1974, Dorsey began her tenure as associate director of the Southern Coalition on Jails and Prisons and was later appointed to the National Council for Economic Opportunity by President Jimmy Carter.

Explore Mississippi

Many of the homes, colleges, and historic sites discussed in this gallery still exist today. Journey beyond the museum walls and explore the places where history happened.