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.
| File Name | Folder Title | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 173108-15-008.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 1 of 2 | The Pittsburgh Press, Vol. 81, No. 2, second section, pages 21 through 64. | 1964-06-24 |
| 173108-16-001.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Police Hosts News Media October 19." | 1966-10-14 |
| 173108-16-002.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "What Happened to Earhart? Accepting Goerner's Answers Depends on Reader's Credulity" by Bill Coppenbarger. | 1966-11-06 |
| 173108-16-003.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from an unknown newspaper, "Board of Supervisors Allowances." | 196x |
| 173108-16-004.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, which includes photographs of "A Columbia Officer" and "Donald Butler." | 1966-11-01 |
| 173108-16-005.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Neshoba Democrat, "Emergency Communications Center." | 1964-07-02 |
| 173108-16-006.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Chief Ray Is Completing 25 Years Of Service Here" by Kenneth Fairly. | 1966-09-19 |
| 173108-16-007.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Accused Rapist Caught After One-Year Search: State Officers Praised For Intensive Efforts" by Kenneth Fairly. | 1966-10-28 |
| 173108-16-008.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Birmingham News, "Patrol's goals: Men, definition of jurisdiction" by George Metz. | 1966-04-05 |
| 173108-16-009.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Star-Herald, "Ask Antiseptic Crackdown." | 1969-03-20 |
| 173108-16-010.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Head Patrol Academy." | 1966-10-10 |
| 173108-16-011.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Highway Safety a Spiritual Problem." | 1966-08-06 |
| 173108-16-012.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Picayune Item, "Eight Cows Killed Last Weekend on Hwy. 43: Motorists Up in Arms." | 1966-08-11 |
| 173108-16-013.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "On Ready." | 1966-08-13 |
| 173108-16-014.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Copiah County Courier, "Motorists Told What to Do if Involved in Accident." | 1966-08-24 |
| 173108-16-015.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Wardens Receive Training," photos by Charles Gerald. | 1966-08-25 |
| 173108-16-016.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Fasten your seat belt." | 1966-08-25 |
| 173108-16-017.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "'Let's Drive Right' Teaches Safe Driving." | 1966-08-30 |
| 173108-16-018.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Jones Appointed To Staff As New Traffic Director: Will Devote Full Time to Accident Prevention In State." | 1966-08-25 |
| 173108-16-019.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "The Law, Your Lawyer, and You." | 1966-08-25 |
| 173108-16-020.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Copiah County Courier, "Uncle Al From Allen Says." | 1966-08-31 |
| 173108-16-021.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "The High Sheriffs" by U. S. Press Association. | 1966-08-25 |
| 173108-16-022.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Police Bowled Over." | 1966-09-08 |
| 173108-16-023.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from Southern Reporter, "Traveling Over Hill and Dale." | 1966-09-01 |
| 173108-16-024.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Court Throws Out Edwards' Curfew" by Associated Press. | 1966-09-08 |
| 173108-16-025.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Safety Experts Urge Holiday Driving Care." | 1966-09-01 |
| 173108-16-026.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Reminding All Motorists About Our State Law On School Buses." | 1966-09-22 |
| 173108-16-027.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clippings from The Clarion-Ledger newspaper, which include "7,000 Cattle Brands Registered In State, Many Currently Used" by Jean Culbertson. | 1966-10-02 |
| 173108-16-028.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Patrolman Honored," photo by Mike Jones. | 1966-09-01 |
| 173108-16-029.pdf | Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2 | Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Highway Patrol Urges Safe Labor Day Fun." | 1966-09-02 |