Wilkinson prison welcomes visit by Mississippi museum officials

Facility donates artifact, papers on Anne Moody history

By Roscoe Barnes III
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

#AnneMoody

#MTCchangesLives

Kathleen Barnett (foreground), collections manager for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH), examines a collection of newspapers presented by the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF). She is joined by Laura Anne Heller, acquisitions and collections coordinator; Nan Prince, director of collections for the museum division; and Candace Thomas, collections manager. Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III, left, is speaking about the collection.

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WOODVILLE, Miss. -- Representatives of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) recently visited Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) to learn more about the facility’s Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) and to collect multiple items on the history of Anne Moody.

Moody was a civil rights pioneer and the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi.

Nan Prince, director of collections for the museum division at MDAH, said she was impressed by the enthusiasm shown by WCCF staff. "I love seeing the passion displayed by everyone working on the Anne Moody History Project, and we are excited to be able to add an Anne Moody street sign to our artifact collection,” she said. “The fact that this type of community engagement is coming out of a correctional facility is fascinating!"

In addition to Prince, MDAH guests included Laura Anne Heller, acquisitions and collections coordinator for the archives and records services division. They were joined by Candace Thomas and Kathleen Barnett, collection managers for the museum division.

Mississippi museum officials discuss Anne Moody history and artifacts. From left are: Laura Anne Heller and Nan Prince of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH); Ruby Dixon, Emma Taplin, and LaVern Taylor of the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP). 

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“Our visit to meet Roscoe Barnes and the Anne Moody History Project team at the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility was an experience like none other I've ever had,” said Heller. “All were very welcoming and everyone is passionate about honoring Anne Moody's accomplishments, especially in the communities where she spent her formative youth.”

Heller said she was “impressed by the programs with the inmates, including reading Coming of Age in Mississippi, expression and interpretation through artwork, and the desire to share about her life with local museums, public libraries, and school systems.” 

AMHP is a community service endeavor created by WCCF staff in 2017. Its mission is to promote and help preserve Moody’s legacy. Its members include Roscoe Barnes III, who holds a doctorate in church history, Ruby Dixon, LaVern Taylor, and Emma Taplin. The members discussed their on-going work with the MDAH guests. They presented artifacts, portraits and documents in a display that was arranged by Aaron Greenlee, who is incarcerated at WCCF.

Deputy Warden of Programs Tonya Toomey said she felt privileged to participate in the meeting and to be a part of history: “I felt honored to meet all of them and I’m looking forward to others having the opportunity to view these artifacts at their museum.”

Deputy Warden of Programs Tonya Toomey (center) is pictured here with representatives of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). From left are Candace Thomas and Kathleen Barnett, both collections manager; Nan Prince, director of collections for the museum division, and Laura Anne Heller, acquisitions and collections coordinator for the archives and records services division.

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The prison donated several items to MDAH, which included an Anne Moody Street sign, a proclamation for Anne Moody Day and a resolution for Anne Moody Street, both in Centreville, Miss., and a resolution for renaming a portion of Highway 24, the Anne Moody Memorial Highway. The donation included a resolution honoring Moody that was presented last year by Sen. Tammy Witherspoon, as well as newspapers that provided coverage on Moody-related news and events.

“It was a pleasure to receive as a donation 15 newspapers which document the publicity of the signed Resolution for Anne Moody Day and the Proclamation renaming Fort Street as Anne Moody Street,” said Heller. “Additionally, these official documents are part of this donation to the Archives and Records Services Division of Mississippi Department of Archives and History. These newspapers and documents will be available for researchers in the archival reading room to study.” 

The museum officials plan to return to the facility to review artwork on Moody that is being done by the men incarcerated at WCCF.

Aaron Greenlee, who has a background in interior 

decoration, organizes Anne Moody display for Mississippi 

museum officials.

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AMHP members said they were ecstatic about the MDAH visit.

“I think the overall program was a success, “said Dixon. “It was interesting from the time I walked in. Everybody was interacting with love and what I think Anne Moody would stand for. It was one of the best ones we’ve had.”

“I truly enjoyed the visit,” added Taplin. “It is an honor to know that the work the AMHP has done will be recognized and preserved in the Civil Rights Museum for anyone interested in doing future projects.”

For Taylor, it was an emotional experience. “I have an emotional truth (what the heart says) about the facts of what we stand for in the new movement of Ms. Anne Moody,” she explained. “It is so real how we have motivated people and ourselves.  I used to wonder why people should believe in us. After the meeting with our visitors (our friends) with MDAH, I have found the secret to the success of the AMHP Team, and it is sharing.”

Branton Lewis, education supervisor for WCCF, said he was moved by the event. He noted: “From the unveiling of the Anne Moody Street sign to the meeting with the Museum visitors, I am overwhelmed by it all.  We all are part of history in some form of fashion, however, this has me at another level.”

WCCF is operated by Management & Training Corporation (MTC) for the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC).  

Representatives of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) met recently with members of the Anne Moody History Project at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) in Woodville, Miss. Pictured from left are Lavern Taylor and Emma Taplin, both AMHP members; Candace Thomas, Kathleen Barnett, Nan Prince and Laura Anne Heller, all of MDAH; and Ruby Dixon and Roscoe Barnes III, AMHP members.

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Note: For information on MDAH, visit http://www.mdah.ms.gov.

#PrivatePrison #PrivatePrisons

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Would you like to know MORE about Anne Moody? Visit here to see the timeline of important 

events in her life history!

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For more information: 
See the Anne Moody page here.
Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi