Jimmie Rodgers Foundation to Host Community Digitization Day on November 1
Posted 10:11 am Monday October 20, 2025
In partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi Center for Digital Humanities, the museum will host a digitization day where community members will be invited to bring artifacts, photographs, programs and memorabilia to be scanned and preserved for future generations.
The Foundation especially seeks items related to Jimmie Rodgers, Elsie McWilliams, the Jimmie Rodgers Festival, Meridian’s rich musical heritage, and the history of trains. Community members can bring their items to the museum, where they will be carefully digitized and returned immediately.
In addition to artifacts, the Foundation also collects oral histories. Residents who have a favorite festival memory, a story about Elsie McWilliams or a cherished Meridian moment are encouraged to attend. A team will be on hand to record these stories and ensure they become part of the permanent digital archive.
All contributions will be stored in the Mississippi Digital Library, helping to expand access to this vital cultural history around the world.
The “Keeping Time” event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, located at 1200 22nd Ave. Everyone is invited to participate in preserving Meridian’s past so that future generations can learn, explore and be inspired.
For more information, contact the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation at 601-938-7427 or Executivedirector@jimmierodgers.com.