“This Little Light of Mine”

Abstract

Through a historical account of its genesis and a thematic analysis of its exhibit, chapter six interrogate the memory building practices of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (MCRM). The museum’s exhibits highlight resistance to white supremacy and uncover the violent truth of the freedom struggle in Mississippi. The MCRM is the state’s most aggressive example of the truth-telling and anti-racist functions associated with civil rights tourism. At the same time, the museum frames the story of the Mississippi Movement in a way that privileges a more narrow narrative of social movement tactics—one that deemphasizes the influence of the Black Power Movement in the state. By subtly minimizing the more revolutionary and radical elements of the Mississippi Movement, the MCRM minimizes the possibility of alienating some (white) visitors, a rhetorical strategy that facilitates the state’s goals of economic development, image management, and social justice through civil rights tourism.