Freedom Rider Files, 1960-1966 Series 2985
This is a collection of records transferred from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to the Department of Archives and History in March 2026. The files document Commissioner Thomas Butler (T. B.) Birdsong’s response to civil rights events in Mississippi during the early 1960s. Of primary interest are Birdsong’s files and correspondence related to the Freedom Rides during the summer of 1961. Individuals throughout the country sent letters expressing support for and opposition to Commissioner Birdsong’s statements regarding the Freedom Riders. There are also nine folders of Freedom Riders’ arrest records and mug shots, which appear to be duplicates of material found in the State Sovereignty Commission Records. A few memoranda also mention James Meredith’s March Against Fear in 1966. The bulk of the material is newspaper clippings related to the Civil Rights Movement, and also general articles of interest to DPS at the time. All pages were scanned and can be accessed here. The original documents can be viewed in the William F. Winter Archives and History Building. Ku Klux Klan related documents transferred by DPS are also available for research.
Read MoreThis is a collection of records transferred from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to the Department of Archives and History in March 2026. The files document Commissioner Thomas Butler (T. B.) Birdsong’s response to civil rights events in Mississippi during the early 1960s. Of primary interest are Birdsong’s files and correspondence related to the Freedom Rides during the summer of 1961. Individuals throughout the country sent letters expressing support for and opposition to Commissioner Birdsong’s statements regarding the Freedom Riders. There are also nine folders of Freedom Riders’ arrest records and mug shots, which appear to be duplicates of material found in the State Sovereignty Commission Records. A few memoranda also mention James Meredith’s March Against Fear in 1966. The bulk of the material is newspaper clippings related to the Civil Rights Movement, and also general articles of interest to DPS at the time. All pages were scanned and can be accessed here. The original documents can be viewed in the William F. Winter Archives and History Building. Ku Klux Klan related documents transferred by DPS are also available for research.
Image Arrangement and Numbering
The items were arranged by subject and numbered by the curator at the top or bottom of each page.
Technical Details
Original Scans: The Department of Public Safety Freedom Rider Files, 1960-1966, were scanned by MDAH staff in 2026, according to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees' approved imaging procedures, following ANSI/AIIM recommended practice. The images were saved as uncompressed, 24-bit RGB TIFF files at 300 pixels per inch.
Conversion: TIFF files were converted to PDF files for Internet access in 2026.
Notes on PDF Conversion: Items in folder 12 of the collection were bundled with their related correspondence in folder 11. Scanned item 173108-11-03-007 was bundled with related items in 173108-11-006.pdf. Scanned item 173108-16-77-001 was bundled with related items in 173108-16-072.pdf.
Rights Management
The electronic files in Series 2985: Department of Public Safety Freedom Rider Files, 1960-1966, are intended for public use in research, teaching, and private study in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Use clause of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Any use beyond that prescribed by Fair Use requires the permission of the copyright holders.
MDAH asks that each image used in a presentation, display, or publication be accompanied by the following preferred citation:
Series 2985: Department of Public Safety Freedom Rider Files, 1960-1966, Mississippi Department of Archives & History.
Copy Availability
300ppi TIFF files of the images may be purchased from MDAH. The MDAH Public Order procedure and fee schedule apply. Consult the Photoreproduction and Digital Imaging policy or contact MDAH Reference Staff for order options as well as information on how to obtain and complete the necessary Public Order forms: 601-576-6876 or refdesk@mdah.ms.gov