Mississippi museums seek Prohibition items for exhibition

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is seeking items to tell the story of when liquor was illegal.

An exhibition titled “Mississippi Distilled: Prohibition, Piety, and Politics” will open in March at the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson.

Prohibition lasted in Mississippi from 1907 until 1966, but the exhibition will cover a longer period.

The department says in a news release that it’s seeking Prohibition enforcement items, such as a uniform or badge from an officer involved in a raid.

Collections director Nan Prince says museum officials are interested in “anything related to alcohol consumption and production in Mississippi,” including photos of taverns and saloons. They are also seeking artifacts related to temperance activists.

To contribute, call 601-576-6930 or email collections@mdah.ms.gov.