Digital Research Topics
The Everlasting ABC and Primer; 1885
ABC Books and Primers
ABC books, or primers, were manuals designed to aid young children in learning the alphabet. Primers can be traced back to the 1530’s, and most include instructions for prayer. These texts usually associate an image with the first letter of the word. Primers have taken on many styles and themes as you can see through the variety found in the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection.
The fifth column conspiracy in America authentic map and directory; 1941
Anti-communism
After World War II, the fear of communism’s influence on the American way of life was common to many Americans. People were frightened that their way of life would become obsolete. To address these concerns, citizens and other groups organized anti-communism efforts to inform the public about possible communist activities on national and local levels.
Little Mary; or, The Pleasant Day; 1841
Chapbooks
Chapbooks were small printed books that circulated in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. ‘Chap’ is Old English for ‘trade’ and thus chapbooks were oftentimes peddled by rudimentary tradesmen carrying other wares such as needle and thread, buttons, ribbons and seeds. The subjects of children’s chapbooks range from fairy tales and instructional guides to prayer books and biographies.
Freedom School Student; 1964
Civil Rights and Freedom Schools
In the summer of 1964, volunteers from around the United States came to Mississippi to take part in Freedom Summer, a civil rights campaign with two primary goals. The first goal was to register as many African Americans to vote as possible (only 7% of eligible African Americans in Mississippi were registered to vote at the time), and the second goal was to establish educational programs for school-aged children. The impact of the Freedom Schools was immediate, and the schools were popular with both children and adults. After Freedom Summer, many of the students who attended the schools became active in the civil rights movement, and their activism had far-reaching impact in the state and region.
MFDP Campaign Poster- Fannie Lou Hamer; circa 1960s
Civil Rights and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party
This collection of items includes brochures, campaign posters and other documents relating to the civil rights movement, specifically to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Also included are oral histories from MFDP leaders Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, and Victoria Gray-Adams.
Lesbian Front; September 1976
LGBTQ+
This collection of items includes brochures and publications from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) organizations around the state of Mississippi. Also included are seven issues of ‘Lesbian Front,’ the first lesbian periodical published in Mississippi (1975-1977).
Last Will of Adolf Hitler; 1942
Nazis and World War II
This collection of digitized items includes government documents, correspondence, photographs, speeches, postcards and other documents relating to Nazis during WWII. A $1,000,000 reward for Hitler’s capture proposed by a United States Senator from Mississippi is also included.
Why Drink?: Temperance, The Safer Way; 1942
Prohibition and Temperance
This collection of images includes pamphlets, songs, editorials, correspondence, petitions, and house bills relating to alcohol prohibition and the temperance movement. Specific topics include the impact of restuarant associations on prohibition, correspondence with legislators, promotional material distributed by anti-alcohol groups, and women’s roles in the temperance movement.
Protestors on the Union Plaza; 1990
Protests and Demonstrations at USM
This collection of images includes photographs and articles relating to protests and demonstrations at the University of Southern Mississippi. Specific items include photographs of a demonstration protesting the Gulf War, as well as an articles from a 1955 issue of the Student Printz detailing an effigy burning to protest the removal of Dr. R.C. Cook as President of Mississippi Southern College.
H.A. and Margret Rey at Atlanta Book Fair; April 1946
Reys in World War II
Many recognize Curious George as being an American icon, but few realize his creators, H.A. & Margret Rey, were German Jews during the Holocaust. The Reys were in Paris, France, in 1940 when they escaped hours before the city was taken by Nazi forces. By going through France, Spain, Portugal and Brazil (with the Curious George manuscript and publishing deal in tow) did the Reys manage to arrive safely in New York.
"Vietnam" Comic; 1967
Vietnam War
This collection of digital materials include legislation, policy observations, interviews, photographs, correspondence, and other documents relating to the Vietnam War. Specific items include an oral history with veteran Richard A. Murchison detailing his experiences in the Army during the Vietnam War, as well as a presentation by Sandra E. Adickes titled “From Chicks to Feminists: Transforming the Anti-Vietnam War Movement.”
![McComb voting demonstration (4); [1962]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c4b472150a54f12c990f61d/1621961206774-MK6FNJBXF61439TO2E7G/Adrt_voterregistration_mus_m319_0046p.jpg)
McComb voting demonstration (4); [1962]
Civil Rights and Voting Equality
This collection of items includes film footage, speeches, correspondence, first-hand accounts, photographs, forms and other documents relating to voter registration efforts and poll taxes in Mississippi. Items included represent opposing viewpoints as well.
War Experiences From the Hearts of America's Heroes; May 2002
Firsthand Accounts of WWII
This collection of items includes memoirs, biographies, recollections, and a poem recounting events during World War II. Specific topics include the experiences of a paratrooper (Airborne), a soldier’s participation in the Normandy Invasion (Army), histories of Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) lost in action, the life of a P.O.W. (Air Force) on the Western Front, and a marine detailing his time in Iwo Jima.