In celebration of Emmett Till’s birthday, the Two Mississippi Museums—the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum—will host a day of free admission featuring guided tours at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25. This free day is made possible through sponsorship from Higher Purpose Co.
Fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was visiting family in the Mississippi Delta from his home in Chicago in 1955 when he was tortured and murdered by white supremacists. The event propelled the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shares Till’s story in the context of the greater story of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi.
“We are grateful to Higher Purpose Co. for their support of our day of free admission at the Two Mississippi Museums in honor of Emmett Till’s birthday,” said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). “The organization’s generosity will help many Mississippians experience the state’s largest classroom.”
Higher Purpose Co.’s mission is to build community wealth with Black residents in Mississippi by supporting the ownership of financial, cultural, and political power.
“Mississippi continues to play a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement across this country. Higher Purpose Co. is excited to deepen our partnership with the Two Mississippi Museums and expand our support to cultural institutions committed to authentic storytelling,” said Dr. Tim Lampkin, founder and chief executive officer of Higher Purpose Co.
The Two Mississippi Museums opened December 9, 2017, in honor of the state’s bicentennial. The museums take visitors through the sweep of Mississippi history and the state’s role as ground zero in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.
Two Mississippi Museums are located at 222 North Street in Jackson. The hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information call, 610-576-6580, visit the MDAH Facebook page, or email info@mdah.ms.gov.