Thousands of literary fans climbed the steps of the State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, on Saturday, Sept. 13, to sit in on panels, attend workshops and ask authors to sign their books as part of the 2025 iteration of the Mississippi Book Festival. This booklovers’ paradise, the 11th festival since the nonprofit began in 2015, drew in a number of contemporary writers from the Magnolia State, as well as others from surrounding areas within the region and beyond. 

So that those who couldn’t attend can still feel involved, the Mississippi Free Press—thanks to David Rae Morris’ brilliant photography—has put together this photo gallery showcasing just a fraction of what this annually anticipated event has to offer. 

Photo Gallery

A crowd is seen attending the Mississippi Book Festival on the State Capitol grounds
The 2025 Mississippi Book Festival is held annually on the grounds of the State Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Photo by David Rae Morris
A woman stands in front of a panel, arm in air, with books standing before her
Dr. Tonja Murphy leads a writing workshop entitled “Prose and Possability Creative Workshop” for young writers ages 12 and up. Photo by David Rae Morris
A group stands on the steps of the State Capitol
The family of the late Mississippi writer Greg Iles stand on the steps of the State Capitol while listening to tributes with friends and staff at the Mississippi Book Festival held on Sept. 13, 2025. Photo by David Rae Morris
Haley Barbour is seen talking to another man
Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, right, speaks with Jim Barksdale prior to a panel on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina at the 2025 Mississippi Book Festival. Photo by David Rae Morris
An audience in a book panel seen clapping
Audience members react to panel at the 2025 Mississippi Book Festival. This year’s festival included more than 50 panels. Photo by David Rae Morris
Three people sit at a book panel
Eddie Cotton, Jr., left,  Stevie J. Blues, center, and Arrianna Washington pose prior to their panel “Jacktown USA,” which focused on the music scene in Jackson, at the 2025 Mississippi Book Festival.  Photo by David Rae Morris
Two women stand outside on the steps of the State Capitol
Ellen Daniels, left, executive director of the Mississippi Book Festival, speaks with former director Holly Lange during a tribute to the late Mississippi writer Greg Iles prior to the start of the 2025 Festival. Photo by David Rae Morris
Two people seated on a stage seen talking for a panel
La June Montgomery Tabron, right, president of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, speaks during a panel discussion on the geography of racial healing with writer Wright Thompson, left, at the 2025 Mississippi Book Festival. Vondaris Gordon moderated the discussion. Photo by David Rae Morris

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David Rae Morris’ photographs have been published in National Geographic, Time Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, New York Times, Utne Reader, The Nation, as well as the Angolite, the official Magazine of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, and Love And Rage, a national anarchist weekly. He served as a contributing photographer for the Associated Press, Reuters, Agency FrancePresse and the European Pressphoto Agency. In 1999, Morris collaborated with his late father, the noted author Willie Morris, on "My Mississippi," a collection of essays and photographs about the state of Mississippi and her people published by the University Press of Mississippi. His photographs are in many private and public collections including in the permanent collections of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans, and Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. His exhibit, “Do You Know What it Means? The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,” opened at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art ten weeks after Katrina made landfall. His post Katrina work was also featured in the book, "Missing New Orleans," published by the Ogden in November 2005 and have appeared in the HBO series “Treme.” His 2022 book "Love, Daddy: Letters From My Father" was published by the University Press of Mississippi and has won the 2023 photography award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters.