Behind the Big House is one of few historic site tours developed with the specific goal of interpreting slavery. The program began with several private homeowners in Holly Springs, Mississippi, who opened slave houses on their properties to the public. Since 2012, the program has educated thousands in North Mississippi and Arkansas. This year, Preserve Marshall County & Holly Springs, Inc. will continue to provide a more complete narrative of our town and its history, as a template for others to follow. The programs has now moves beyond alignment with the Pilgrimage dates to accommodate the growing interest among school groups.
In 2014, Preserve Marshall County and Holly Springs, Inc. received the Mississippi Heritage Trust’s Heritage Award for Preservation Education for the Behind the Big House program. In 2015, it received the Mississippi Humanities Council Preserver of Mississippi Culture Award, as well as a Mississippi Historical Society Award of Merit. In 2018, the National Humanities Alliance launched its Humanities for All website, which is a catalog of nearly 1500 publicly-engaged projects. Behind the Big House is one of 51 featured programs to have an extended profile on this website.
