Jackson, Mississippi: How Far Has It Really Come?
The Mississippi State Capitol Building
Why should you visit the Mississippi State Capitol Building? The answer comes down to the thirteenth amendment, you know, the amendment that abolished slavery in 1865 ("Legislation Search"). Recently, on February 7, 2013, to be specific, the thirteenth amendment was officially ratified by the Mississippi State legislature, making the state of Mississippi the last state to ratify the amendment. In the event of a possible oversight in 1995, the original ratification of the thirteenth amendment was not sent to the federal archivist and was therefore not officially accepted, a fact that was not acknowledged until almost 18 years after the ratification originally passed through both houses of the state legislature ("Mississippi Fixes Oversight, Formally Ratifies 13th Amendment on Slavery").
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Jackson In The Antebellum Era
In the 1800's, Mississippi was the epicenter of the cotton production demanded by the rest of the world, specifically the European textile manufacturing industry. Cotton was a labor intensive business and as cotton production drove the social and economic aspects of Mississippi, slavery became increasingly intertwined with the state of Mississippi ("Cotton in a Global Economy: Mississippi"). Having said this, it is important to note the slave conditions and the attitudes that arose from this time period. To a certain degree, the conditions of the slave life depended on the status of the slave, but even then, they belonged to the lowest, poorest ranks of society. Slaves were denied the ability to own their own property, which created a dependency on the master, a fact which was an integral part of the master's power and the continuation of slavery as a practice. Many white plantation owners looked upon the practice of slavery as not an "institution of brute force," but a "responsible dominion over a less fortunate, less evolved people" ("The Slave Experience: Living Conditions"). This dominion translated into daily beatings and torturing of slaves accompanied by enigmatic moral explanations for the "necessary" punishments. This behavior and quickness towards violent action arose from a permeating belief in the racial superiority of the whites and the racial inferiority of the African Americans. This belief existed beyond just the slavery period and also characterized the post-slavery period in American history. From what you now know about the slavery period in Mississippi, let us now introduce you to present-day Mississippi and assess how far the once racially divided state has come.
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What should this teach you? How does it relate to the idea of slavery and the legacies that followed an era of racial attitudes and persecution? Mississippi has long been known for the racial divisions in its society and the racist undertones that permeate the beliefs of some of its white citizens. The fact that it took 148 years to ratify the amendment that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except in the event of a punishment begs the question of whether it was truly an oversight or an example of one of the ways that Mississippi remains ingrained in its past. Visit the State Capitol Building. Immerse yourself in the history of Mississippi lawmaking. Refer back to the Jim Crow laws, which characterized the white-black interactions of the 1870's to the 1950's. Review the court cases that incited controversy and riots over the rights of men. Most importantly look at this recent ratification and ask yourself, "Is this a large step for Mississippi, or an indication of how much further they have to go?"
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Tours of The Mississippi State Capitol Building
Guided tours are conducted free of charge by staff and volunteers from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Tours are given weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Visitors are welcome to take a self-guided tour. Group and school tours are available by reservation. To schedule a tour, contact Visitor Services at the Mississippi State Capitol at (601) 359-3114 or [email protected].
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