| MY MISSISSIPPI |
| I am very proud to call Mississippi my home. I am a native of Mississippi. Let me share a few facts about my home state of Mississippi with you. |
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI SYMBOLS
State Coat of Arms and Motto
The committee to design a Coat of Arms was appointed by
legislative action February 7, 1894, and the design proposed by
that committee was accepted and became the official Coat of
Arms. The committee recommended for the Coat of Arms a "Shield
in color blue, with an eagle upon it with extended pinions, holding in
the right talon a palm branch and a bundle of arrows in the left
talon, with the word "Mississippi" above the eagle; the lettering on
the shield and the eagle to be in gold; below the shield two
branches of the cotton stalk, saltierwise, as in submitted design,
and a scroll below extending upward and one each side
three-fourths of the length of the shield; upon the scroll, which is
to be red, the motto be printed in gold letters upon white spaces,
as in design accompanying, the motto to be --VIRTUTE et
ARMIS" which means by valor and arms.
The committee to design a Coat of Arms was appointed by
legislative action February 7, 1894, and the design proposed by
that committee was accepted and became the official Coat of
Arms. The committee recommended for the Coat of Arms a "Shield
in color blue, with an eagle upon it with extended pinions, holding in
the right talon a palm branch and a bundle of arrows in the left
talon, with the word "Mississippi" above the eagle; the lettering on
the shield and the eagle to be in gold; below the shield two
branches of the cotton stalk, saltierwise, as in submitted design,
and a scroll below extending upward and one each side
three-fourths of the length of the shield; upon the scroll, which is
to be red, the motto be printed in gold letters upon white spaces,
as in design accompanying, the motto to be --VIRTUTE et
ARMIS" which means by valor and arms.
The State Flag
The committee to design a State Flag was appointed by legislative
action February 7, 1894, and provided that the flag reported by
the committee should become the official flag. The committee
recommended for the flag "one with width two-thirds of its length;
with the union square, in width two-thirds of the width of the flag;
the ground of the union to be red and a broad blue saltier thereon,
bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen (13) mullets or
five-pointed stars, corresponding with the number of the original
States of the Union; the field to be divided into three bars of
equal width, the upper one blue, the center one white, and the lower
one extending the whole length of the flag, red--the national
colors; the staff surmounted with a spear-head and a battle-axe
below; the flag to be fringed with gold, and the staff gilded with
gold."
The committee to design a State Flag was appointed by legislative
action February 7, 1894, and provided that the flag reported by
the committee should become the official flag. The committee
recommended for the flag "one with width two-thirds of its length;
with the union square, in width two-thirds of the width of the flag;
the ground of the union to be red and a broad blue saltier thereon,
bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen (13) mullets or
five-pointed stars, corresponding with the number of the original
States of the Union; the field to be divided into three bars of
equal width, the upper one blue, the center one white, and the lower
one extending the whole length of the flag, red--the national
colors; the staff surmounted with a spear-head and a battle-axe
below; the flag to be fringed with gold, and the staff gilded with
gold."
The State Bird: Mockingbird
Found in all sections of Mississippi, the cheerful Mockingbird was
selected as the official State Bird by the Women's Federated
Clubs and by the State Legislature in 1944.
Found in all sections of Mississippi, the cheerful Mockingbird was
selected as the official State Bird by the Women's Federated
Clubs and by the State Legislature in 1944.
The State Flower and Tree: Magnolia
An election was held in November 1900 to select a State Flower.
Votes were submitted by 23,278 school children. The magnolia
received 12,745 votes; the cotton blossom 4,171; and the cape
jasmine 2,484. There were a few votes for other flowers. The
magnolia was officially designated as the State Flower by the
1952 Legislature. In 1935, the Director of Forestry started a
movement by which to select a State Tree for Mississippi, to be
selected by nomination and election by the school children of the
State. Four nominations were made--the magnolia, oak, pine and
dogwood. The magnolia received by far the largest majority. On
April 1, 1938, the Mississippi Legislature officially designated the
magnolia as the State Tree.
An election was held in November 1900 to select a State Flower.
Votes were submitted by 23,278 school children. The magnolia
received 12,745 votes; the cotton blossom 4,171; and the cape
jasmine 2,484. There were a few votes for other flowers. The
magnolia was officially designated as the State Flower by the
1952 Legislature. In 1935, the Director of Forestry started a
movement by which to select a State Tree for Mississippi, to be
selected by nomination and election by the school children of the
State. Four nominations were made--the magnolia, oak, pine and
dogwood. The magnolia received by far the largest majority. On
April 1, 1938, the Mississippi Legislature officially designated the
magnolia as the State Tree.
The State Land Mammal
The White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was designated
the State Land Mammal of Mississippi by Senate Bill No. 2324,
General Laws of Mississippi of 1974. For information about
hunting in Mississippi, call (601) 362-9212 or (toll free in-state
only) 1-800-628-7852. To purchase a hunting or fishing license,
call 1-800-5GO-HUNT.
The White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was designated
the State Land Mammal of Mississippi by Senate Bill No. 2324,
General Laws of Mississippi of 1974. For information about
hunting in Mississippi, call (601) 362-9212 or (toll free in-state
only) 1-800-628-7852. To purchase a hunting or fishing license,
call 1-800-5GO-HUNT.
The State Waterfowl
The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) was designated the State Waterfowl
of Mississippi, Chapter 551, General Laws of Mississippi of 1974.
Mississippi boasts more than a million acres of prime game habitat
in 36 state wildlife management areas and National Wildlife
Refuges open for public hunting, including marshy waterfowl
havens.
The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) was designated the State Waterfowl
of Mississippi, Chapter 551, General Laws of Mississippi of 1974.
Mississippi boasts more than a million acres of prime game habitat
in 36 state wildlife management areas and National Wildlife
Refuges open for public hunting, including marshy waterfowl
havens.
The State Fish
The Largemouth or Black Bass (Micropterus salmoides) was
designated the State Fish of Mississippi, Chapter 551, General
Laws of Mississippi of 1974. Call 1-800-ASK-FISH for weekly
fishing reports.
The Largemouth or Black Bass (Micropterus salmoides) was
designated the State Fish of Mississippi, Chapter 551, General
Laws of Mississippi of 1974. Call 1-800-ASK-FISH for weekly
fishing reports.
The State Insect
The Honeybee (Apis mellifera) was designated the State Insect of
Mississippi, Chapter 317, General Laws of Mississippi of 1980.
The Honeybee (Apis mellifera) was designated the State Insect of
Mississippi, Chapter 317, General Laws of Mississippi of 1980.
The State Shell
An act designating the Oyster Shell (Crassostrea virginica) as the
State Shell was approved April 12, 1974, Chapter 551, General
Laws of Mississippi of 1974.
An act designating the Oyster Shell (Crassostrea virginica) as the
State Shell was approved April 12, 1974, Chapter 551, General
Laws of Mississippi of 1974.
The State Water Mammal
An act designating the Bottlenosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus),
commonly called the Porpoise, as the State Water Mammal was
approved April 12, 1974, Chapter 551, General Laws of
Mississippi of 1974.
An act designating the Bottlenosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus),
commonly called the Porpoise, as the State Water Mammal was
approved April 12, 1974, Chapter 551, General Laws of
Mississippi of 1974.
| The State Song Go, Mississippi Words and Music by Houston Davis Verse: States may sing their songs of praise With waving flags and hip-hoo-rays, Let cymbals crash and let bells ring 'Cause here's one song I'm proud to sing. Choruses: Go, Mississippi, keep rolling along, Go, Mississippi, you cannot go wrong, Go, Mississippi, we're singing your song, M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I Go, Mississippi, you're on the right track, Go, Mississippi, and this is a fact, Go, Mississippi, you'll never look back, M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I Go, Mississippi, straight down the line, Go, Mississippi, ev'rything's fine, Go, MIssissippi, it's your state and mine, M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I Go, Mississippi, continue to roll, Go, Mississippi, the top is the goal, Go, Mississippi, you'll have and you'll hold, M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I Go, Mississippi, get up and go, Go, Mississippi, let the world know, That our Mississippi is leading the show, M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I Music to it is playing! |
State Fossil
A Senate Concurrent Resolution, designating the prehistoric whale as the state fossil, was
adopted March 26, 1981.
State Beverage
An act to designate milk as the state beverage was adopted by the Mississippi State
Legislature during the 1984 Regular Session.
State Stone
A Senate Concurrent Resolution, designating petrified wood as the state stone, was adopted
May 14, 1976. The Mississippi Petrified Forest is a privately operated park and museum
located at 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, Mississippi. For more information call (601) 879-8189.
A Senate Concurrent Resolution, designating the prehistoric whale as the state fossil, was
adopted March 26, 1981.
State Beverage
An act to designate milk as the state beverage was adopted by the Mississippi State
Legislature during the 1984 Regular Session.
State Stone
A Senate Concurrent Resolution, designating petrified wood as the state stone, was adopted
May 14, 1976. The Mississippi Petrified Forest is a privately operated park and museum
located at 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, Mississippi. For more information call (601) 879-8189.
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| This site was created by and is maintained by Belinda Winters for BFH Bassets. If you have any questions or comments email belindawinters@bfhbassets.com |