Mississippi is a southern state of the United States and is considered part of the Deep South. The state takes its name from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary. Tennessee lies to the north and Alabama to the east, and it has a small coastline on the Gulf of Mexico to the south.

The name Mississippi, which means "great river," comes from either Ojibwe, a Native American language spoken around the river's headwaters, or some other closely related Algonquian language Nicknames for Mississippi are the Magnolia State and the Hospitality State.

Much of the state was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, particularly the southern part on and near the Gulf Coast. While most areas have returned to normal or near-normal tourism, it remains limited at the immediate coast.

History
Mississippi was part of the Mississippian culture in the early part of the second millennium AD; descendant Native American tribes include the Chickasaw and Choctaw. Other tribes who inhabited the territory of Mississippi (and whose names became those of local towns) include the Natchez, the Yazoo, and the Biloxi.

The first European expedition into the territory that became Mississippi was in 1540 and the first settlement in 1699. In 1716, Natchez was founded on the Mississippi River (as Fort Rosalie); it became the dominant town and trading post of the area. After spending some time under Spanish, British, and French nominal jurisdiction, the Mississippi area was deeded to the British after the French and Indian War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.

The Mississippi Territory was organized on April 7, 1798, from territory ceded by Georgia and South Carolina; it was later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the U.S. and Spain. It then became the 20th state admitted to the Union, on December 10, 1817.

When cotton was king during the 1850s, Mississippi plantation owners—especially those of the Delta and Black Belt regions—became increasingly wealthy due to the high fertility of the soil and the high price of cotton on the international market. The severe wealth imbalances and the necessity of large-scale slave populations to sustain such income played a heavy role in both state politics and in the support for secession.

Mississippi was considered to typify the Deep South during the era of Jim Crow. A series of increasingly restrictive racial segregation laws enacted during the first part of the 20th century resulted in the emigration of almost half a million people, three-quarters of them black, in the 1940s. However, at the same time, Mississippi became a center of rich, quintessentially American music traditions: gospel music, country music, jazz music, blues, and rock and roll all were invented, promulgated, or heavily developed by Mississippi musicians. Mississippi was also noted for its authors in the early twentieth century, especially William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams.

The state was the last to repeal prohibition (in 1966). It symbolically adopted the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, in 1995 (which a number of states in the United States still have not ratified). These amendments were still in effect in Mississippi even before their ratification there.

Climate

Mississippi has a climate of long summers and short, mild winters. Temperatures average about 82°F (about 28°C) in July and about 48 °F (about 9 °C) in January. The temperature varies little across the state in summer, but in winter the region near Mississippi Sound is significantly warmer than most of the rest of the state. Yearly precipitation generally increases from north to south. Small amounts of snow fall in northern and central Mississippi, although snow is not unheard of around the southern part of the state.

In the late summer and the fall, the state (especially the southern part) is often affected by hurricanes moving north from the Gulf of Mexico, and occasionally impacted by major hurricanes, which can be quite devastating in coastal communities. Thunderstorms are common in Mississippi, especially in the southern part of the state. On average, Mississippi has around 27 tornadoes annually with the northern part of the state more vulnerable earlier in the year and the southern part becoming more vulnerable a little later.

Get In

By car
Interstate 20 (east-west route along the lower middle half of the state), I-10 (again, an east-west route along the Gulf Coast), I-55 (north-south route passing through the middle of the state), and I-59 (southeastern corner of the state).

By plane
There are several regional airports. Golden Triangle Regional Airport (Columbus, MS); Greenville, MS; Tupelo, and Gulfport. Jackson has the largest airport in the state, Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). Jackson's airport closes early (usually a little after 10PM), so plan accordingly.

By train
See Amtrak for the most current and active routes (several have closed due to either the after effects of Katrina, or lack of profitability).

Attractions

 • Outdoor activities are a favorite of Mississippians, given the state's low population density and natural resources. Hunting, fishing, water sports, camping, and hiking all have their devotees.
 • Gulf Islands National Seashore
 • Visit the Jim Henson Museum in Leland
 • The casinos of Vicksburg, Tunica, Philadelphia Mississippi (Choctaw Indian Reservation), and along the Gulf Coast are fun to visit. Keep in mind that nearly all of the casinos along the Gulf Coast were destroyed from Katrina, and only some have reopened.
• The Civil War Park in Vicksburg is interesting to visit, and the entire park can easily be visited in an afternoon.
• Mississippi is the home of the blues, and the Blues Museum in Clarksdale Mississippi is interesting for the blues music enthusiast. In addition, live blues is still fairly easy to find in the Delta and in Jackson (where the former Subway Lounge blues bands play on Saturday nights at Schimmel's Restaurant).
 • Jackson Zoological Park is located in Jackson. Also you will find the International Museum of Muslim Cultures and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
• B.B. King's home town is Indianola Mississippi, which has a Blues Party for him on his birthday. Usually B.B. King will visit and play some music on his birthday in Indianola.
• Be sure to visit the antebellum houses in city of Natchez through the Natchez Pilgrimage Tours. The tours offered during the pilgrimages are a good way to see a wide selection of the houses and buildings. Tours are arranged at the old downtown train station (nearby the local casino called the Isle of Capri).
• For those who enjoy nature, a journey along the Natchez Trace Parkway (which starts in Natchez, MS, and ends in Nashville, TN) is a good bet. Be aware that the speed limit is a strictly-enforced (by US Park Police) 50 mph (80 km/h), and that wild animals such as deer and turkeys often run across the road. Also keep in mind that you will have to share the road with bicyclist and those camping along the Natchez Trace.
• The International Ballet Competition takes place once every four years in Jackson (no, this is not a joke). The competitions takes place at Thalia Mara Hall in downtown Jackson on Pearl Street and some of the best in ballet from around the world compete ((601) 355-9853 - 157 E Pearl St).
• Visit the Prime Outlets in Gulfport