Happy National Mississippi Day!
From NationalDayCalendar.com:
"On November 30th, National Mississippi Day recognizes the home of the Delta blues and the 20th state to join the union.
How did you learn to spell Mississippi? Was it the M-I crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I rhyme? Or did you keep track of the seconds by counting one Mississippi, two Mississippi? If you did, you’re not alone. Millions around the country recall doing this and other similar word associations with the name Mississippi!
The Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico along the western boundary of the state and derives its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi which means “Great River.”
It was along the Mississippi Delta that the blues developed in the middle to late 19th century. Within a few decades, blues music would slowly grow in many ways creating a crop of musicians and variety of new genres.
Civil Rights
Both the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s were uncertain, turbulent and violent times for Mississippi. Even though the Civil War brought about freedom for enslaved people, that was more than half of Mississippi’s population and the economy had been ruined.
Nearly 100 years later circumstances had not much improved when Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. ignited the movement that would bring voices and faces to the story.
Natchez Trace
One of the most prolific features of the state is the Natchez Trace. In existence for thousands of years, this ancient pathway was beaten down by the hooves of bison. Hunting and gathering mound builders later used the path which became an ideal road for transporting goods. Today, it’s both a 444-mile scenic parkway and natural timeline through the history of three states (Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama).
There are many fun and fascinating tidbits about Mississippi to explore. For example, did you know while hunting in Sharkey County, President Roosevelt came upon a bear he refused to shoot which is how we came to have the teddy bear today."
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is huge! - In fact, it's the second largest in North America. How cool would it be to see it in person, even if it's such a small portion? It's such a great resource for the U.S. Something I didn't know is that there's different things along the whole river you can see, like dams, waterfalls, overlooks, and more. You can even take a cruise along the Mississippi - either on the upper or lower portions of the river and stop at the must-see sights along the way. The cruises stop in cool places including New Orleans, St. Louis, and Memphis just to name a few. Seems like the perfect way to see everything you wouldn't want to miss! A cruise along the Mississippi is definitely on my bucket list.
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
I really enjoy visiting places that show and teach history when I can, especially important historical movements such as the Civil Rights movement. This museum displays the stories of a lot of Mississippians who lived during this movement and what their experiences were. The museum has eight interactive galleries - in the center of seven of them is a section called "This Little Light of Mine" which has music and glowing sculptures! It sounds so cool and moving - I'd love to stop by and learn more.
Learn more about the museum HERE.
Red Bluff
Red Bluff's nickname is Mississippi's Little Grand Canyon. If you've ever been there or to Las Vegas and know what Red Rock is, this is almost exactly what Red Bluff reminds me of (or at least the pictures of it.) It's a beautiful landmark off of Pearl River that's been formed by years of natural erosion. I love hikes so this is at the top of my list for when I'm in Mississippi. I want to see the amazing views - you can even see them without hiking if you aren't into that!
Biloxi Beach
You all know me by now... you know if a state has a beach, I HAVE to add it onto my list of things to do. Biloxi is one of Mississippi's best rated beaches, and it has so much to offer. It's a white sand beach with warm, calm water due to the Gulf of Mexico barrier. The beach stretches for almost 30 miles! There's a pier you can walk on, restaurants with fresh seafood to try, casinos, beach volleyball nets, souvenir shops, and so much more! Also, look at the gorgeous sunset in the photo below! I wouldn't want to miss out on something like that.
You can read more about the beach and things to do there HERE.
Leave a comment and let me know: what is on your must-do in Mississippi list?
*All photos have been linked to sources*