Local History Department at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System

07/14/2026

📚 Join us TOMORROW for "The Challenges of the First Fifty Years of Women's Suffrage" Presented by Dr. Rebecca Tuuri.

Discover how the League of Women Voters helped shape civic engagement in Mississippi from the ratification of the 19th Amendment through the Civil Rights era, and learn how the organization evolved into the diverse and influential voice it is today.

📅 Wednesday, July 15TH
🕛 12:00 p.m.
📍 Downtown Library Meeting Room
🥪 A light lunch will be provided

This free program is part of our America 250 series and is made possible through the Mississippi Humanities Council Speakers Bureau and the Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System.

07/06/2026

🗳️ The fight for the vote didn't end in 1920!

Join us as we continue our America 250 programming series with a fascinating look at the first fifty years of women's suffrage in Mississippi.

📚 The Challenges of the First Fifty Years of Women's Suffrage Presented by Dr. Rebecca Tuuri. Discover how the League of Women Voters helped shape civic engagement in Mississippi from the ratification of the 19th Amendment through the Civil Rights era, and learn how the organization evolved into the diverse and influential voice it is today.

📅 Wednesday, July 15TH
🕛 12:00 p.m.
📍 Downtown Library Meeting Room
🥪 A light lunch will be provided

This free program is part of our America 250 series and is made possible through a grant from Mississippi Humanities Council.

07/02/2026

🇺🇸🎆 In observance of Independence Day, all Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System locations will be closing at 5pm on Thursday, July 2nd. All locations will also be closed on Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th.

As we celebrate America's 250th birthday and our nation's independence, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend filled with family, friends, and plenty of red, white, and blue! ❤️🤍💙

📚 We will reopen Monday, July 6th at 9:00am.
Happy Independence Day from your library family!

06/24/2026

Meet one of our two summer interns: Paige!

Paige is a history major at Mississippi University for Women. She is currently processing and digitizing the Lowndes County School Newspaper Collection (MS 415). That includes over 670 newspapers from Stephen D. Lee High School, R.S. Caldwell High School, and Heritage Academy dating 1921-1999 (with gaps).

The digitized newspapers will be included on the Mississippi Digital Library upon completion (https://msdiglib.org/columbus).

The archive hopes to add other county school newspapers to this collection in the future.

06/20/2026

Congratulations to the R.E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center for their reopening yesterday!!

After years of recovery, preservation, hard work, and community support, the doors of the R.E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center are now open again.

The Museum preserves the history and legacy of R.E. Hunt High School and the Black experience in Columbus and Lowndes County.

Originally opened in 1953, R.E. Hunt High School served generations of students and stood as a symbol of excellence, achievement, and opportunity. The Museum and Cultural Center opened in 2011 to honor Hunt’s rich legacy.

Following damage from a tornado in 2019, staff of the museum have worked tirelessly to save and restore the historic materials and reopen the museum to the community.

06/15/2026

R.E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center is reopening!!

After years of recovery, preservation, and community support, the doors of the R.E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center will reopen on Juneteenth.

Join alumni, families, educators, historians, former students, and community members as we celebrate the reopening of a place that has preserved the history and legacy of R.E. Hunt High School and the Black experience in Columbus and Lowndes County.

Originally opened in 1953, R.E. Hunt High School served generations of students and stood as a symbol of excellence, achievement, and opportunity. The Museum and Cultural Center opened in 2011 to honor Hunt’s rich legacy.

Following significant damage from the 2020 tornado, many feared this historic landmark might be lost. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, donors, alumni, and supporters, the museum has been restored and is ready to welcome visitors once again.

Come view historical artifacts, reconnect with classmates and friends, and celebrate the resilience of a community determined to preserve its story.

Date: Friday, June 19, 2026

Location: R. E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center
924 20th Street North
Columbus, Mississippi 39701

Admission: Free and open to the public.

[Source: the R.E. Hunt Museum & Cultural Center page.]

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06/12/2026

FUN PHOTO FRIDAY: This sketch shows the University of Columbus, erected in 1844. The building, located at present day 715 Second Avenue North, was initially used by the Methodist Church. Eventually, it was used as a school that also housed a concert hall and stage.

Beginning in 1907, the building was used as the Jewish synagogue for the Temple B'nai Israel. The building served the congregation until 1960, when it was torn down and the current structure was constructed.

06/10/2026

Meet one of our newest interns for the summer: Selena!

Selena is a Pre-Law and History major at Mississippi University for Women. She is working on compiling the early history of the court system in Lowndes County. Her work will culminate in a website where people can learn how the courts were structured and the who the various officers were over the 1800s.

Stay tuned!

06/08/2026

An 1830 receipt for the purchase of a young boy named Handy, around fifteen years old, by William Whitfield in Wake County, North Carolina was recently donated to the Billups-Garth Archival Room at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System.

Handy, later known as Handy Whitfield, was an enslaved boy purchased during the estate sale of Reuben Sanders on February 25, 1830. Sanders passed away on December 29, 1829. An advertisement in the Raleigh Register newspaper on January 14, 1830 posted "...SIXTY NEGROES WILL BE SOLD FOR Cash or commodation...the above slaves are very valuable, being mostly raised...of the late Reuben Sanders...."

After the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1831, European Americans moved further west to states like Alabama and Mississippi. So too did the Whitfield family. By 1840, the Whitfield family, along with their enslaved, were living in Lowndes County, Mississippi. That same year, the county included 5,472 free people and 8,771 enslaved persons.

Whitfield passed away in 1854 and the enslavement of Handy passed to Whitfield's daughter, Lucy Ann Whitfield. Lucy also inherited Handy's family including his wife Mary Ann and their five children.

The first Federal Census following the American Civil War was in 1870 and captures Handy's life in that moment. He's 57 years old, working as a farmer, and living with his wife, Mary. The household also included several of their children and grandchildren including Amy, 38; Jane, 36; Washington, 12; Troy, 12; Henry, 10; Nancy, 10; Ashley, 9; and George.

By 1880, Handy is still farming and married. The children and grandchildren living in the household include Jane, 45; Elizabeth, 43; Govenor, 37; Winney Ross, 20 (granddaughter); Mary Hines, 20 (granddaughter); Nancy Blewitt, 19 (granddaughter); Sarah Ann Blewitt, 15 (granddaughter); Mitta Ross, 13 (granddaugther); Ashly Whitfield, 19 (grandson); and Troy Whitfield, 20 (grandson).

While it is unclear where Handy's final resting place is, this receipt reminds us of his life and journey. Although the events documented in the record occurred in North Carolina, the receipt is an important piece in telling of the local African American experience in Lowndes County, Miss.

And lastly, for any African American Whitfield's conducting genealogy, this document can also help break through the "genealogical wall" often hindering research beyond the American Civil War.

06/05/2026

FUN PHOTO FRIDAY: Now the site of Leadership Plaza, this three-story building belonged to the McGowan and Pegues Furniture Store and stood at 202 Fifth Street South. Established in 1891 by Leopold Loeb as Loeb and McGowan Furniture Store, the building included steam heat, electricity, and a freight elevator. The first floor contained the sales room, the second floor was the undertaking and upholstering departments as well as a show room, and the third floor and basement housed reserve stock.