Jefferson College: Mississippi’s Birthplace

This presentation will cover the significant events that took place at Jefferson College, which is located six miles north of Natchez in Washington.  Established in 1802, Jefferson College was the first institution of higher learning in Mississippi. In 1817, delegates gathered in a Methodist church on the school’s campus and wrote Mississippi’s first constitution. During the antebellum period, the campus quickly became the intellectual center of the Old Natchez District. After the Civil War, the collection of buildings was used as a part of a Freedmen’s Bureau home colony.

The history of Jefferson College offers a unique lens into nineteenth century Mississippi. This presentation will explore how Jefferson College is critical to understanding the creation and development of Mississippi, the role of the school in advancing agricultural practices in the region, and how formerly enslaved people utilized the buildings to experience freedom for the first time.

Speakers Expertise:

Michael Morris, the Director of the Two Mississippi Museums, The Museum of Mississippi History and The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, is a proud Jackson native and graduate of Jackson State University. His work focuses on interpreting Mississippi's history.