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Mississippi became one of the first states to make civil rights education a major part of its social studies standards in schools in 2011. But districts haven’t updated all their textbooks to reflect those changes.
The standards for Mississippi Studies, a high school social studies course usually taught in 9th grade, required for graduation, cite Jim Crow and the Freedom Rides. Many districts still use a book published in 2005 that doesn’t include those topics but does mention segregationist governor James K. Vardaman 69 times.
Blue districts are using a mix of old books, and new books published after 2012, when the new civil rights standards were established.
Green districts are exclusively using books published prior to the new standards.
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