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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173108-16-070.pdf
Date: 1966-12-29
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Mississippi Sun, "Mississippi Wins Again!"
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-071.pdf
Date: 1966-11-16
Description: Newspaper clipping from an unknown newspaper, "Birdsong Warns Motorists Of Danger During The Holidays."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-072.pdf
Date: 1966-12-27
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Daily Herald, "Off-Duty State Officer Beats Off Attackers."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-073.pdf
Date: 1966-12-12
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "3 Kansas Men Nabbed After 11-Hour Chase" by Pic Firmin.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-074.pdf
Date: 1967-01-03
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Driver License Renewal Service Convenient For State Motorists."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-075.pdf
Date: 1966-12-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Carthaginian, "New Patrolman Is Assigned To Carthage."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-076.pdf
Date: 1966-12-30
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Motor vehicle inspection time."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-078.pdf
Date: 1966-11-24
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Enterprise-Tocsin, "Safety Is Urged On Hiways."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-079.pdf
Date: 1966-12-02
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Police Chiefs Point To Public Not Criminal For Rising Crime" by Stephen M. Aug.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-080.pdf
Date: 1966-11-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Bob McRaney Jr. Named Manager Of WLBT, WJDX."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-081.pdf
Date: 1966-12-01
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Commercial Dispatch, "Bernie Lewis Graduates From Police Academy."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-082.pdf
Date: 1966-12-29
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Auto Checks Begin Jan. 1."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-083.pdf
Date: 1966-11-24
Description: Newspaper clipping from the Madison County Herald, "Searches And Seizures."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-084.pdf
Date: 1966-12-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Carthaginian, "Patrolman Of Year' Sought."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-085.pdf
Date: 1966-12-12
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Pedestrian safety."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-086.pdf
Date: 1966-12-29
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Mississippi Sun, "State Wins Honors In Pedestrian Contest."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-087.pdf
Date: 1966-12-09
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Public Relations Officers," photo by Mike Jones.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-088.pdf
Date: 1966-05-05
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Barber Wounded By Shot During Unexplained Attack" by Kenneth Fairly.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-089.pdf
Date: 1966-12-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "2 Jailbreakers Apprehended In Short Order."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-090.pdf
Date: 1966-12-12
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Early Auto Inspection By State Motorists Urged."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-091.pdf
Date: 1966-12-08
Description: Newspaper clipping from Southern Reporter, "Seek leading patrolman."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-092.pdf
Date: 1966-12-09
Description: Newspaper clippings from The Clarion-Ledger and Jackson Daily News, "Police Chief Award" and "Columbus Officers Will Get Training."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-093.pdf
Date: 1966-08-30
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Driving Trainers Will Go Into State Schools."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-094.pdf
Date: 1966-11-17
Description: Newspaper clipping from Southern Reporter, "Caution urged on highways at Thanksgiving."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-095.pdf
Date: 1966-10-06
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Sun Herald, "Warning On Hiding Licenses" by Associated Press.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-096.pdf
Date: 196x
Description: Newspaper clipping from an unknown newspaper, "Rules Of Grammar?"
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-097.pdf
Date: 1966-12-27
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Clarion-Ledger, "Survived Action, Clobbered Here" by Kenneth Fairly.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-098.pdf
Date: 1966-12-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from Jackson Daily News, "Our Readers' Viewpoint: State Driver Law Offers Contrasts" by B. G. Badeaux.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-099.pdf
Date: 1967-01-03
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Citizens Band members praised for holiday work."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-100.pdf
Date: 1966-09-22
Description: Newspaper clipping from Southern Reporter, "Check license for renewal."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-101.pdf
Date: 1966-12-30
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Hattiesburg American, "Operation Roadguard is life-saving effort" by Winfred Moncrief.
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2
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173108-16-102.pdf
Date: 1966-12-29
Description: Newspaper clipping from The Progress-Item, "Inspection Of Vehicles To Begin Jan. 1."
Folder Title: Traffic Safety and General DPS Clippings, Part 2 of 2