George N. McIlhenny Papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-226

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Collection of Mississippi State University alumnus George N. McIlhenny (1895-1968) of Lake (Scott County), Mississippi, includes personal and family correspondence, publications, photographs, memorabilia, and other materials from his life and career as a consultant. Among the materials are Thomas L. Bailey gubernatorial campaign material, 1939; materials concerning the Know Mississippi Better Train, 1927, and the Citizens Protective Agency. Also includes letters from Martin Sennett Conner, James P. Coleman, Ross Barnett, James O. Eastland, John C. Stennis and others concerning McIlhenny's genetic studies on sickle cell anemia and his theories concerning the medical necessity for racial segregation. Also includes Citizens' Council materials from Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, material on the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and studies for economic development in Harrison and Claiborne Counties and other topics.

Dates

1927 - 1970

Creator

McIlhenny, George Neal, 1895-1968 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

None.

Biographical Note

George Neal "Jockey" McIlhenny was born on February 8, 1895 in Gum Springs Community in Scott County, MS to Dr. George Allen McIlhenny and Mary Elizabeth McIlhenny. He had a brother, Oliver Rankin McIlhenny, and a sister, Elizabeth McIlhenny Stokes, and was the youngest of the three. He married Viva Brooks McIlhenny.

George McIlhenny graduated from Forest High School in 1911 and went on to get a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi A & M College in 1914. He was a World War I veteran and settled down in Lake, MS.

George McIlhenny was at the forefront of scientific research in Mississippi and assisted with the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Project, as well as studied the viability of salt domes for the storage of atomic wastes for the Atomic Energy Commission. He was also involved with research on sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. He heavily promoted racial segregation of public schools and many of his genetic studies were used to support the idea of segregation for health reasons.

In his life, George McIlhenny was involved in political campaigns, the shipbuilding industry, and the paint and varnish industry. He was a member of the Mississippi Industrial and Technological Commission. He also formed his own museum called the McIlhenny Museum of Science and Industry. George McIlhenny died in 1968 in Lackey Hospital in the town of Forest, MS.

Extent

6 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated by Mrs. G. W. McIlhenny from Lake, Mississippi in 1973.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Separated Materials

The following materials were moved to printed collections:

The Naval Architecture's Shipbuilder's and Marine Engineer's Pocket-Book by Clement Mackrow, 1892, Bird City by E. A. McIlhenny, 1934

Preservation Note

Papers have been stored in acid-free folders inside acid-free boxes. Newspaper clippings were photocopied on acid-free paper and put away from the collection and photographs were interleaved between acid-free paper. Rusted paper clips and staples were replaced with stainless steel paper clips.

Processing Note

This collection was partially processed in 1983 by an Archival Practicum student and was worked on again in 1992. It was finished in May 2022 by Erin Cain, a graduate student in the Manuscripts Department.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into twelve distinct series. These are listed below along with their general organizational schemas:

1. Correspondence: organized by time period and then by the author or subject. 2. Financials: organized in ascending chronological order. 3. Campaign Materials: organized by type of document and then in ascending chronological order. 4. Personal Businesses: organized by subject and then in ascending chronological order. 5. Genetic Research Files: organized into two sub-series- Correspondence and then Lab Memos and Research Materials. 6. Segregation Files: organized alphabetically by subject and then in ascending chronological order. 7. Engineering Projects: organized into five sub-series- Drainage Studies, Mississippi Industrial and Technological Research Commission, Waterways Projects, Claiborne County Development Project, and Miscellaneous Science and Technology. 8. Scrapbooks: organized by subject and then in ascending chronological order. 9. Photographs: organized by subject and then in ascending chronological order. 10. Miscellaneous: organized by document type and then in ascending chronological order. 11. Books: organized in ascending chronological order. 12. George Allen McIlhenny's Files: organized into seven sub-series- Correspondence, Printed Materials, Tallabogue and Untookalo Anti-Drainage District Association, Scrapbooks, Financials, Miscellaneous, and Books.