Today is National Mississippi Day! In 2017, the very first National Mississippi Day was observed on November 30 and served as a day to commemorate the 20th state to join the union of the United States. Every year since the holiday has stuck and continues to be a day dedicated to the state of Mississippi. To join in on the celebration, we want to share some of our favorite facts about Mississippi and the Mississippi River, starting with this: did you know that Mississippi was named after the Mississippi River?
- The Mississippi Delta impacted the evolution of American music.
The famous Mississippi Delta had quite an impact on American music and its evolution. Some people even believe that the state can take credit for the creation of the Delta blues. This style of music includes singing and guitar playing, often acoustic and finger picked. Often nicknamed the “Birthplace of America’s Music,” it comes as no shock that the Mississippi Delta blues is known to have contributed to the creation of country, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel music.
- Mississippi has inspired many great authors.
The beauty of Mississippi has captured the hearts of many, including some of America’s greatest authors. Famed writer William Faulkner was inspired by the rural landscape of his hometown, New Albany, Mississippi, so much so that he wrote a novel about the fictional county of Yoknapatawpha. This novel and Faulkner’s other incredible works of literature awarded him a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949. Other famous authors from Mississippi include Eudora Welty, Richard Wright, and Tennessee Williams.
- The Mississippi River is 2,340 miles long.
You can’t think of Mississippi without also thinking of the Mississippi River. This lengthy river rises in Minnesota and ends all the way in the Gulf of Mexico, spanning 2,340 miles. The river is so long that one single drop of water would take about 90 days to travel the entirety of the river. At the river’s widest point, it extends wider than 11 miles.
- The word Mississippi has multiple meanings.
The word Mississippi has a history, stemming all the way back to the Ojibway/Chippewa tribe in the 1600s. It was this tribe that came up with the word Mississippi from an Indian word meaning “great waters” or “fathers of the waters.” However, more information has come out in the past few years that lead experts to believe the word Mississippi actually means “big river.” This “big river” meaning comes from the word ‘messipi.’
- Mississippi is the catfish capital of the world.
If catfish is among your favorite meals, then a trip to Belzoni, Mississippi, is a must. Belzoni is known as the catfish capital of the world, with about 36,000 acres of catfish ponds. The fish is so popular that the town holds a catfish festival each spring. Some of the events included in the festival are a Miss Catfish pageant and a catfish eating contest.
Explore Mississippi with a Mississippi River Cruise
See all the beauty Mississippi and the Mississippi River have to offer with an American Queen Voyages™ River cruise. Sail on the Lower Mississippi or the Upper Mississippi & Illinois Rivers and explore quaint towns like Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, and Cleveland (Terrene Landing). Embark on extraordinary excursions, such as an ATV adventure in the lush Natchez forests or play a round of golf in Vicksburg at the Vicksburg Country Club Golf Course. Whether you want culture, history, nature, cuisine, or art, you can find it all in each town. As you journey through Mississippi, enjoy other states, each with its own charming river towns.
Book Your Mississippi River Cruise Today
These Mississippi River facts only scratch the surface. However, you can discover even more and dive even deeper when you book your next Mississippi River cruise. On an American Queen Voyages sailing, you will deeply discover each region, waterway, and port of call visited. And Mississippi and the Mississippi River are no different. Start planning your next adventure today!
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