Savoring a Piece of Mississippi’s History

Mississippi has been central to our nation’s history for centuries

MISSISSIPPI’S ITINERARY AT A GLANCE

Learn about prehistoric Mississippi and the ancients that once lived here. Explore the state’s role in the civil rights movement for justice and equality at two state-of-the-art museums. Immerse yourself in Mississippi’s rich music history and heritage. Discover the impact the Great River had on Mississippi life and commerce. In the “key” city of Vicksburg, learn about the Civil War battle that broke the South’s back

You’ll experience these great activities and more:

A stop at the Old Capitol Museum with modern interactive multimedia exhibits
A pizza party at Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint
Rich music history at Malaco Music Group, with a studio available for your group’s recording debut
Prehistoric Mississippi to the present day at the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
The site where a great Civil War battle was fought from March 25 to July 4, 1863

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Mississippi Museum of Art Town Creek Arts Festival

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MISSISSIPPI DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1:

Arrive at Jackson at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Learn about the event that brought about the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Medgar had a prominent role in the civil rights movement. Returning to his Jackson home on June 11, 1963, after listening to President John F. Kennedy deliver a televised speech about civil rights, he was assassinated in his driveway.

George’s Museum Café at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum is a popular lunch spot serving cafeteria-style fare.

Begin your afternoon with a stop at the Old Capitol Museum, which served as Mississippi’s statehouse from 1839 until 1903. In 1969, Mississippi’s most historic building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. While the museum has been restored to its original splendor, modern interactive multimedia exhibits tell the building’s history and events that took place there.

Check-in at your Jackson host hotel. Tonight, it’s a Pizza Party at Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint. It’s very popular with students in the area.

DAY 2:

Breakfast and checkout.

Mississippi’s rich music history is on full display at Malaco Music Group. Known as “The Last Soul Company,” Malaco Music Group has been the leading independent recorder of contemporary Southern R&B, soul and gospel since 1968. You’ll be amazed by the music awards hanging on the walls. The studio is available for your group’s history-making recording debut.

Much of Mississippi’s history can be seen at the Mississippi Museum of Art and its Mississippi Art & Artist Gallery. Guided student tours by an MMA Teaching Fellow can be uniquely formatted to your particular curriculum need.

Lunch is at Cultivation Food Hall. More than half a dozen vendors feature everything from wraps, salads and hoagies at Midland Bistro to Southern and American classics served small plate style at Uncle Ray’s.

Students will experience prehistoric Mississippi to the present day at the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, also known as Two Mississippi Museums. Standards of learning are emphasized for grades 3-6 and 7-12. The museums sit side-by-side. The Museum of Mississippi History features hundreds of interactive exhibits that highlight 15,000 years of history. At the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, students can explore the intricate history of the civil rights movement and learn about the individuals that took the courageous steps to guarantee equality for all.

Depart for nearby Ridgeland and enjoy dinner at Cock of the Walk, a Mississippi original with a menu of Southern favorites like fried catfish, fried dill pickles and hushpuppies.

Continue to Vicksburg and check-in at your host hotel.

DAY 3:

Breakfast and hotel checkout, then head to your first stop.

At the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum and Interpretive Center, you’ll see how the Mighty Mississippi has impacted lives and trade over time. Orientation Theater shares how life on the river has changed, while the 1927 Flood Wall and Tent examines the great 1927 Mississippi Flood. The museum is filled with interactive exhibits.

Next is a visit to Vicksburg’s most historic building, the Old Courthouse Museum. A National Historic Landmark, the museum is filled with items of historical significance, including a Civil War collection believed to be the largest in the South.

Lunch is at McAlister’s Deli. Known for its handcrafted sandwiches and oversized spuds, McAlister’s isa favorite among student groups.

Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site where a great Civil War battle was fought from March 25 to July 4, 1863. A licensed battlefield guide is available to provide an in-depth tour. A self-guided driving tour also is popular. There is question that Vicksburg was vital to both the Confederate and Union sides. Learn about the Siege of Vicksburg and the campaigns to gain control over Mississippi’s “Key City.” Visit the park’s monuments, memorials and USS Cairo Museum.