Special Collections

Finding Aid for the Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection
(MUM01767)

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Finding Aid for the Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Donated by Sidna Brower Mitchell, 2011

Processing Information

Collection processed by Joel Gillaspie, 2011-2012. Finding aid encoded by Kathryn
Michaelis, June 2012.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

Alternative Formats

Photographs and a scrapbook from this collection have been digitized and made available
online: https://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/sbm_photos.

Subject Terms

Formats

Biographical Note

In 1962 Sidna Brower became the editor of the Mississippian, the University of Mississippi’s student newspaper. During her time as editor, James
Meredith became the first African-American to enroll in the University of Mississippi,
and on 30 September and 1 October 1962 riots occurred in Oxford. In response to the
riots, Brower wrote several editorials condemning the violence. As a result of her
editorials, Brower received hundreds of letters both supporting and condemning her
and/or integration. She received multiple awards and was even nominated for a Pulitzer
Prize.

Scope and Content Note

The Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection documents the reaction of many different people
in the United States and abroad to the integration of the University of Mississippi
and Sidna’s editorials. The collection is arranged in four series. The first series
consists of all the letters supporting Sidna and/or integration and they are arranged
chronologically. Most the correspondences are letters though some individuals included
favorable newspapers clippings. All favorable newspaper clippings that had envelopes
attached to them are included in this section.

The second series includes many letters, editorials, and newspapers clippings that
are against Sidna and/or integration. Most of the correspondences are letters though
some individuals included unfavorable newspapers clippings. All unfavorable newspapers
clippings that had envelopes attached to them are included in this series.

The third series includes many letters, newspaper clippings, propaganda tracts, and
other printed material that does not directly address Brower or integration. The section
also includes categorized folders compiled by Sidna Brower Mitchell before the collection
was donated. The collection maintains the original organization of those folders.

The fourth series includes all newspapers and newspaper clippings that had no envelopes
attached. These newspapers and newspaper clippings are organized by date. This section
also includes three scrapbooks compiled and organized by Sidna.

Several of the most significant letters include:

Letter to Ole Miss Students from James Meredith discussing his reasons for attending
the University of Mississippi – 30 April 1963 – Box 5

Letter to Sidna from Martin Luther King Jr. asking for a donation – March 1963 – Box
5

James Meredith’s statement about enrolling in the Spring of 1963 – 7 Jan 1963 – Box
6

User Information

Preferred Citation

Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams
Library, The University of Mississippi

Access Restrictions

The Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection is open for research. Photographs from this collection are stored at an off-site facility. Researchers interested
in using these photographs must contact Archives and Special Collections at least
two business days in advance of their planned visit. As the photographs have been
digitized and made available (https://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/sbm_photos), researchers are strongly encouraged to use the digital versions.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the
making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under
certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized
to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions
is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other
than private study, scholarship or research.” If a user makes a request for,
or
later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,”
that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Related Material

Resources at the University of Mississippi

Photographs and a scrapbook from this collection have been digitized and made available
online: https://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/sbm_photos.

James Howard Meredith Collection, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library

Mississippian/Daily Mississippian, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library

For more materials related to the University of Mississippi’s integration, please
see our Civil Rights and Race Relations Subject Guide.

Separated Material

Photographs have been moved to cold storage for preservation.

Arrangement

The Sidna Brower Mitchell Collection is arranged in four series according to format
and content, then chronologically within each series.

Container List