Sons of Mississippi: A Story of Race and Its Legacy

Paul Hendrickson discussed his book Sons of Mississippi: A Story of Race and Its Legacy, published by Alfred A. Knopf. The book tells the story behind a 1962 LIFE magazine photo of seven Mississippi sheriffs preparing to block the integration of the University of Mississippi. Professor Hendrickson looks at who these seven men were, how they came to hold the views they did, and the legacy they’ve left. He talked specifically about one of the sheriffs, William T. Ferrell, and Ferrell’s grandson, who now works as a U.S. Border Patrol officer. He also read portions of the book, including one depicting the prison experience of Mississippi SNCC member MacArthur Cotton, jailed for his efforts to register black voters. close