A tour of Mississippi is the perfect way to bring history to life for any student group. Mississippi was the site of many critical moments and movements in American history, from the decisive battles of the Civil War’s Vicksburg Campaign to the struggle for civil rights that followed. Mississippi’s music history is definitely worth exploring, too. The state is the “Birthplace of America’s Music,” where the blues was born, country took root, and rock ‘n’ roll first hailed its king.
Founded in 1716, Natchez is the oldest continuous settlement on the Mississippi River. The city boasts more than 1,000 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including spectacular mansions. Several of these historic homes can be toured, including Longwood, America’s largest octagonal home, and a must-see for your group. Construction of the 32,000-square-foot home was halted in 1892 due to the outbreak of the Civil War.
History buffs from around the world are drawn to the Vicksburg National Military Park. President Abraham Lincoln considered Vicksburg the “key” to winning the Civil War, saying “the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.” More than 1,300 monuments dot the park’s vast landscape, including the impressive Illinois Monument which was modeled after the Pantheon of ancient Rome.
Two standout museums in Jackson – the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum – are located side-by-side. (Collectively, they’re called the “Two Mississippi Museums.”) The Museum of Mississippi History contains collections and artifacts representing 15,000 years of history across eight galleries covering a timeline from prehistoric cultures through the modern era.
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the second of Jackson’s Two Mississippi Museums, focuses on the history of African Americans in Mississippi from enslavement through the Civil Rights era. The museum features interactive exhibits, photographs, and artifacts that document the struggles, triumphs and tragic sacrifices made by civil rights activists in the state. The museum holds the distinction of being the first state-sponsored civil rights museum in the United States.
Hello, Cleveland! When it opened in 2016, GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi was the first GRAMMY Museum to be built outside of Los Angeles. The Cleveland, Mississippi, museum’s displays and interactive exhibits highlight numerous GRAMMY winners from across Mississippi, including many blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and country legends. Look for information about traveling exhibits and live performances on their website.