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.
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-08-25
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Back Home."
File Name: 173108-16-030.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-20
Description: Newspaper clipping regarding Kenneth Toler from The Lexington Advertiser, "Through Hazel Eyes" by Hazel Brannon Smith.
File Name: 173108-16-031.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-20
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "The Yellow Dog."
File Name: 173108-16-032.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-26
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Police Records Dating From 1836 Are Found."
File Name: 173108-16-033.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-20
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Symposium Of Experts Sponsored By MFWC."
File Name: 173108-16-034.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-21
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "The Economic Impact."
File Name: 173108-16-035.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Mississippi Sun, "Do Double Duty."
File Name: 173108-16-036.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, which includes "Gen. Hogaboom: Company F Plans to Honor Founder of State Guard" by Billy Skelton.
File Name: 173108-16-037.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-12-17
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Highway Patrol tries to save your life" by Winfred Moncrief.
File Name: 173108-16-038.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-28
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Capture Of Accused Rapist Difficult Job" by Kenneth Fairly.
File Name: 173108-16-039.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-06
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "In Appreciation."
File Name: 173108-16-040.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-14
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen."
File Name: 173108-16-041.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-27
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "Highway Safety."
File Name: 173108-16-042.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-20
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Mississippi Sun, "Could You Describe Your Car If Stolen?"
File Name: 173108-16-043.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-06
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Patrol Hunting Pair In Ellisville Holdup" by Elsie May Chambers.
File Name: 173108-16-044.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-01
Description: Newspaper clipping from Southern Reporter, "Patrol urges driving caution on Labor Day."
File Name: 173108-16-045.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-20
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Courses Are Taught: Game Wardens Learning to Adminiseter First Aid."
File Name: 173108-16-046.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Safe Crackers Caught In Park By Patrolmen."
File Name: 173108-16-047.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Wanted Men Nabbed In Park Cabin: 2 Safe Crackers Seized In Roosevelt State Park."
File Name: 173108-16-048.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Driver Training Simulators Will Help Program."
File Name: 173108-16-049.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from the Macon Beacon, "Many Drivers Licenses Expire September 30."
File Name: 173108-16-050.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-23
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Floods Of Drivers Inundate License Bureau Quarterly."
File Name: 173108-16-051.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Officers Explain Police Training To State Mayors."
File Name: 173108-16-052.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-01
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Mail Pouch," message addressed to Commissioner T. B. Birdsong from R. F. Powers, Purchasing Agent, Greenwood Staple Cotton Coop. Assn.
File Name: 173108-16-053.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "Moorhead Bank Robbed; Four Caught."
File Name: 173108-16-054.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-02
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Classes For Cops" by Wayne King.
File Name: 173108-16-055.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-02
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Higher Salary: College For Cops - - Judge" by Charlotte Moulton.
File Name: 173108-16-056.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-09-29
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Drivers license renewal time."
File Name: 173108-16-057.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-10-23
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, which includes "Driving Simulator Helps Teach Teeners To Drive."
File Name: 173108-16-058.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
Date: 1966-12-19
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Reminder From Highway Patrol About Motor Vehicle Inspection."
File Name: 173108-16-059.pdf
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2