October 28, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Image.

Shortly after we started living part time in Mississippi, someone I had just met in Mexico commented to me that she could never live in Mississippi. When I asked her why, she said that Mississippi is a backward state. I just laughed and asked if she had ever been there. Of course she had not and had no intention of ever visiting. Clearly, Mississippi has a bad image in the world. Part of this I think is a remnant of the Civil Rights violence in the 1960's. But that was long ago. I discovered that the first College in Mississippi was chartered in 1802. Mississippi College opened as a co-educational College in 1826 and graduated their first woman in 1831. The state was certainly not backward back then. Right now, at the University of Mississippi in Oxford is housed a wonderful archive of the blues, which is open for the public as well as scholars. The University of Southern Mississippi is home to a museum and archival material about Children's Literature. They have over 1500 authors with their material. It is the only such archive in the world. Mississippi State is the home of the Presidential Library and archives for General Grant. In the same building is the Williams collection of President Lincoln's artifacts, all collected by the Williams. The first Junior College started in Mississippi. Right now, every person is within 30 minutes of a junior college. This is not backward. The medical facilities and staff are cutting edge. When I go to a doctor and tests are run, the results appear on my chart that I can access on the internet as soon as I get home. And I can communicate with the nurse or doctor on the same chart. Living here is pleasant. The traffic is not terrible and the people are polite. The trash is collected twice a week. When I ask the folks who live in Mississippi they tell me that living here is the best kept secret. And they urge me to keep the secret. Look at the number of writers from Mississippi. The list is long. The same for musicians. So I do not know what people mean backward. But it is interesting.