The stories of the Civil Rights Movement in Starkville, Mississippi, and The South have been chronicled through video interviews in a digital oral and public history project at Mississippi State University. Unity Park in Downtown Starkville honors the contributions of local, Mississippi, and national Civil Rights leaders.
‘A Shaky Truce’: Starkville Civil Rights Struggles, 1960-1980
Through oral history interviews and digitized archival documents, this website highlights the civil rights story in Starkville, MS, and the voices of its participants.
This digital oral and public history project was a cooperative effort between faculty and students at Mississippi State University History Department and Libraries. The website narrates the unique history of Starkville, Mississippi’s civil rights struggles with particular emphasis on the local fight for school desegregation.
Unity Park
Unity Park, located on Douglas L. Conner Drive, was created to honor those people who have contributed to Civil Rights and Unity in Oktibbeha County in previous years and years to come.
It provides a positive place of civic pride where all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, can come together to celebrate peace, harmony and unity in our community.
Plaques in the Park highlight the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., William Winter, Dr. Douglas L. Conner, Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, and the Game of Change.
#VisitMS Responsibly
We look forward to welcoming visitors to Mississippi’s scenic outdoors and numerous tourism offerings throughout the state. Guests are advised to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines while both traveling to and visiting our beautiful state. Safe practices include washing hands regularly with soap and water, minimizing close contact with others, and maintaining a minimum of six feet of social distance from others. Visitors are also encouraged to stay informed of additional public health guidance in local destinations throughout the state to minimize risk to themselves and others.
