Civil Rights History Sites in MS

Civil Rights History Sites in Mississippi

Making national headlines, Emmett Till’s 1955 murder put Mississippi at the forefront of one of the most pivotal periods of American history. This tragic event is widely considered the igniting spark of the modern Civil Rights movement. However, Till’s death wasn’t the only event setting the scene for this great struggle. In the months prior, the Rev. George Lee of Belzoni was assassinated after registering to vote. The Medgar Evers murder in 1963, the 1964 killings of three Civil Rights workers in Neshoba County, and other events in Mississippi rallied supporters of Civil Rights, bringing more people to the cause. Half a century later, Mississippi is the embodiment of changing times. Today, Mississippi has more elected African-American officials than any other state, and the Civil Rights movement continues as a strong element of political, social, and daily life. Visit Civil Rights sites in Mississippi like the interactive Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson and 25 sites on the Mississippi Freedom Trail. For more information, request a tour guide, use our trip planner, check out some of the places to visit, or contact us today to start planning your trip.

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Jackson FEATURED

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shares the stories of a Mississippi movement that changed the nation. Through eight interactive exhibits, the museum promotes a greater understanding of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and its impact by highlighting the strength and […]

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Jackson FEATURED

The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, also known as Medgar Evers House, is a historic house museum at 2332 Margaret Walker Alexander Drive in Jackson, Mississippi. Built in 1956, it was the home of African-American civil rights activist […]

Southaven Veterans Monument

Southaven

Located in Jim Saucier Memorial Park, this monument is dedicated to the Mississippians who shed their blood on the world’s battlefields. It was erected by the DeSoto Chapter 80 Military Order of the Purple Heart. […]

Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Gardens

Ruleville

At the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in Ruleville, visitors can pay their respects at the grave of the influential civil rights leader and activist and view an inspiring bronze statue depicting Hamer giving an impassioned speech. Several of Hamer’s […]

Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center

Glendora

The Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center in Glendora honors the legacy of Emmett Till and the profound impact his story had on the Civil Rights Movement. Housed in the building that once held the gin from which Till’s killers took […]

Canton Freedom House Civil Rights Museum

Canton

The Canton Freedom House played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement as the local headquarters of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Canton business man George Washington offered the house as a safe haven and headquarters for volunteers […]

Tallahatchie County Courthouse

Sumner

Located in Sumner, Mississippi, the Tallatatchie County Courthouse is the site of the historic trial of J. W. Milam and Roy Bryant for the murder of Emmett Till on September 19, 1955. Milam and Bryant were both acquitted by an […]

Smith Drug Co.

Hattiesburg

Established in 1925 by E. Hammond Smith, Smith Drug Company was the heart of Hattiesburg’s Mobile Street commercial district, providing medicines and everyday products such as perfumes, tobacco, razor blades, hair pomade, shoe polish, and other domestic items. The drug store […]

Mississippi Freedom Trail Marker – Natchez NAACP Headquarters

Natchez

This house at 9 St. Catherine St., Natchez, Mississippi, was the home of Dr. John Bowman Banks (1862-1911), Natchez’s first black physician. During the 1960s, the house served as the headquarters for the Natchez branch of the NAACP. It also […]

Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum

Holly Springs

The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum and Cultural Center of African and African American History was established to inspire, enlighten and enrich the lives of people everywhere by collecting, preserving and disseminating African and African-American contributions in the fields of history, […]

Former Greyhound Bus Station

Jackson

The former Greyhound bus station in Jackson was a site of significant historic events in 1961 when Freedom Riders, protested racial segregation in public transportation. Their actions led to increased federal enforcement against discriminatory practices. Today, owned by Robert Parker […]

Emmett Till Interpretive Center