New Old Capitol Exhibit Is In Session

When the Old Capitol served as Mississippi’s statehouse from 1839 to 1902, legislation was passed in the House and Senate Chambers that ranged from the establishment of public education and institutions of higher learning to regulations for agriculture and dentistry. The special exhibit In Session: Legislative Acts of the Old Capitol now at the Old Capitol Museum pairs examples of this influential legislation with related historical objects.

“Since our permanent exhibits already detail the writing of state constitutions and high-profile laws, we wanted to use a variety of interesting artifacts to show the legislature’s impact on the daily lives of Mississippians,” said Clay Williams, Old Capitol Museum director.

A chalkboard, slate pencil, and teacher’s certificate from the late 1800s represent the establishment of a state system of public education in 1868. Medgar Evers’s 1951 Alcorn College yearbook and a 1950s Ole Miss pennant highlight the institutions of higher learning that were incorporated while the legislature met at the Old Capitol.

In Session: Legislative Acts of the Old Capitol runs through January 2013. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information call 601-576-6920 or see www.oldcapitolmuseum.com.