About the Collection

The digitization of selected CPRC materials is an ongoing project. Currently the focus is on exemplary primary sources from the John C. Stennis, David R. Bowen, and G. V. "Sonny" Montgomery Collections: civil rights and agricultural topics from the Stennis and Bowen collections, as well as items from the Montgomery collection related to the Montgomery G. I. Bill.

The Stennis Collection contains materials devoted to agricultural issues in the U. S. Congress, as well as problems faced by Mississippi farmers. Senator Stennis also had a major interest in forestry, which is well documented in this series. The items from the Stennis Collection representing civil rights opens windows onto the myriad issues facing the nation during Stennis' tenure in the Senate.

In the Bowen Collection, documentation is provided of Congressman Bowen's key role in rice legislation, an interest he maintained throughout his five terms in the U. S. House of Representatives. As a Representative of a district that included the Mississippi Delta, his interest related directly to constituents, especially the role of rice farmers in agriculture.

Sonny Montgomery is, of course, remembered for the Montgomery G. I. Bill; assisting veterans was his top priority as a Congressman. The Montgomery Collection contains over two hundred photographs related to various aspects of his work on the G. I. Bill.