Publication Date
January 2004
Abstract
The establishment of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) was a cultural milestone for a state that some regarded as backward in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Alabama and Mississippi emerged as pioneers in the founding of state archives in 1901 and 1902 respectively, representing a growing awareness of the importance of preserving historical records. American historians trained in Germany had recently introduced the United States to the application of scientific method to history. The method involved careful inspection of primary documents and writings to produce objective answers to large historical questions.