News Releases

Clarence Alton “Al” Hollingsworth, Jr., a founding member of the Mississippi Heritage Trust who died March 21, is remembered as a committed historic preservationist and supporter of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. He and his wife, Libby, spent decades advocating for the preservation of places.

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History 1960s-era Ku Klux Klan materials, including full Klan regalia, recently discovered as DPS staff prepared to move into new headquarters.

The Mississippi Historical Society held its annual meeting March 5-6 in Meridian to honor its 2026 award winners, including Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Dennis Mitchell, whose work has bridged public, academic, and school history.

Mississippi Makers Fest, the free outdoor celebration of music, food, and art, returns to downtown Jackson on Saturday, May 9, 2026. The annual event will take place on the Entergy Plaza in front of the Two Mississippi Museums and will feature an unforgettable lineup of live performances, including Grammy Award-winning headliner The Band Perry.

Meredith Kehoe has been promoted to Historic Preservation Division Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). Previously serving as the Deputy Director of the same division, Kehoe was initially hired by MDAH as an Architectural Historian in October 2018.

Mississippi Made, a special exhibit highlighting the people, industries and creative traditions that have shaped Mississippi and influenced the nation, will open March 7 at the Two Mississippi Museums. 

In honor of the lives and work of Gov. William Winter and First Lady Elise Winter, admission is free at the Two Mississippi Museums on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The Two Mississippi Museums are now displaying the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer.

FedEx will sponsor free admission to the Two Mississippi Museums during an extended observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Jan. 17-20. Events include the MLK Night of Culture and National Day of Racial Healing programs.