MSU Libraries takes Mississippi Republican Party papers online for first time

Contact: Harriet Laird

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Historic papers of the Mississippi Republican Celebration, held by Mississippi State Libraries since 1980, can be found on-line for the primary time.

A brand new discovering support—or descriptive information—now helps researchers in electronically analyzing and understanding the content material of the gathering which dates again to 1928.

Kate Gregory, director of MSU Libraries’ Mississippi Political Assortment, stated the brand new on-line discovering support is “far more person pleasant” for perusing the 202 cubic ft of fabric. MPC gathers related supplies regarding the state’s political historical past and the U.S. and makes them accessible for public use and analysis. The net web site is https://www.library.msstate.edu/mpc/mississippi-republican-party.

“This enchancment considerably will increase accessibility and discoverability for one among our most unusual and complete collections,” she stated.

The papers are organized into 16 topical collection specializing in get together group, monetary data, presidential elections, state and native elections, election returns and procedures, workplace recordsdata, patronage issues, federal company contacts and biographical data. Different supplies embrace press releases and clippings, marketing campaign literature, election laws, the Southern Affiliation of Republican State Chairmen minutes, municipal committee lists and audiovisual gadgets.

In accordance with Gregory, the gathering’s historic significance is clear in documentation of such occasions because the 1976 Republican Nationwide Conference that noticed the Mississippi delegation on the center of the extreme wrestle to resolve if then-President Gerald Ford or Ronald Reagan can be the get together’s nominee.

“The closely documented inner rift amongst get together officers had Mississippi entrance and heart as a result of the state held the most important bloc of uncommitted delegates,” she defined.

The papers have been opened to public analysis by MSU Libraries’ MPC in 1984, with additions donated over the next years and the newest included in 2000. These concerned with conducting analysis with the supplies or donating supplies are inspired to contact MPC college and workers to make appointments for data and session at 662-325-7663 or sp_coll@library.msstate.edu.

The MPC, a division of MSU Libraries’ Archives and Particular Collections, is positioned on the fourth flooring of Mitchell Memorial Library, 395 Hardy Street. The biggest MPC collections are the papers of the late Sen. John C. Stennis and Rep. G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery, each Mississippi natives and MSU graduates whose careers in Congress totaled greater than 70 years.

MSU is Mississippi’s main college, accessible on-line at www.msstate.edu.