The History of Mississippi’s Mascots (and a Few Others, Too)

Marino Casem, the longtime coach at Alcorn State University and Southern University, once famously stated that “in the South, college football is a religion, and every Sunday is a holy day.” This is certainly true for teams in the Southeastern Conference and especially true for Mississippi. Each fall, hundreds of thousands of loyal fans flock to their respective campuses to root for their favorite teams and cheer for their beloved team mascots. If Casem’s quote is true, these foam-headed cheerleaders might be considered the “saints” of this seemingly odd religion. Most fans, however, know little about the origin of their favorite mascots or other symbols of their university, and many of these symbols have deep roots in history, especially the Civil War years. During this presentation, the hidden history of some of the South’s most beloved (or despised) mascots will be revealed, including Mississippi State’s “Bully,” the origin of the LSU Tigers and, of course, the story behind the Ole Miss Rebels.

Speakers Expertise:

Jim Woodrick is a native of Meridian, MS, and a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson. Since 1997, he has been on the staff of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History where he worked for many years as the Civil War sites historian. He is currently serving as director of the MDAH Historic Preservation Division. A lifelong student of the Civil War, Woodrick is a frequent speaker, highlighting Mississippi's role in the war and a variety of other topics related to general Mississippi history. He is the author of The Civil War Siege of Jackson, Mississippi, published in 2016.