Margaret Walker Alexander
Research Center
P.O. Box 17008
Jackson, MS 39217
USA

Phone: 601-979-3935
Fax: 601-979-5929
email: mwa@jsums.edu

Welcome

Welcome to the Margaret Walker Alexander National Research Center for the Study of the 20th Century African Americanan archive and museum of African-American history and culture.

Founded as the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People by Margaret Walker Alexander in 1968, the Center seeks to honor her academic and artistic legacy through its archival collections, exhibits, and public programs.

Open to the public, the Center houses significant records like the papers of the late Margaret Walker Alexander; those of the former U.S. Secretary of Education, Roderick Paige; and a large oral history department that includes the official collection of the Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement.  It also offers museum and exhibit spaces that highlight the Centers collections and the history of Jackson State University.

The Alexander Center continues to collect living memories, archival records, and personal papers for scholarly use; advocates the preservation of the built environment such as historic 1903 Ayer Hall, which is the oldest structure on the Jackson State University campus and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977; engages the community through public programs, literacy projects, and educational workshops; and works with other JSU departments, including its partners in Ayer Hall:
        
         The Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy

         The Afro-Cuban Research Institute
        
         The Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement   

Please visit the Alexander Center any time.  We welcome your comments, suggestions, and cultural and fiscal contributions.  Contact us at your convenience about the possibility of depositing your personal records at Jackson State and about the opportunity to collaborate with other institutions and repositories.

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Alexander Center Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.