The Mississippi Freedom Trail is expanding, and Mississippians can add a marker in their community free.

Jackson, Mississippi (January 12, 2023) — Thanks to additional funds from Visit Mississippi, the Mississippi Humanities Council is hoping to double the amount of MS Freedom Trail markers in the state. The cost to install each marker is $10K and for the first time, that fee is 100% funded by money from Visit MS. Submissions are now open but the public will have a limited time to apply if they want to take advantage of this new of funding.

There are currently 30 Mississippi Freedom markers throughout the state honoring such heroes of the civil rights movement as Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, and Medgar Evers and historical sites such as Biloxi Beach, site of a 1960 wade-in.

MHC’s program and outreach officer John Spann says the Council’s scholars committee has already approved 13 new markers and believes that number will rise quickly once citizens realize they can honor civil rights pioneers in their community at no cost.  “This is a great opportunity for all Mississippians to explore their own community’s civil rights history and highlight a lesser-known event or person permanently” says Spann. “The expansion of the Freedom Trail is not only an educational tool for tourists but Mississippians as well.”

The application process is open now until March 31,2023. After then, funding for the markers will be a 50% match requirement from the marker sponsor. All the new MS Freedom Trail markers will be in place by the end of 2024.

To learn more about the Mississippi Freedom Trail and to apply for a marker, visit www.mshumanities.org.