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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

This 1920 image of ferries arriving at Ellis Island appears in “Journey Stories,” a traveling Smithsonian exhibit on display at the Clinton Visitor Center. Credit: Courtesy Museum on Main Street

• Clinton Visitor Center, Clinton
• Free

A Smithsonian Institute traveling exhibit, “Journey Stories” examines physical, mental and emotional journeys that have crafted American history. Using audio clips and artifacts, “Journey Stories” illustrates the journeys of Americans from their home countries including slaves, indentured servants and immigrants, and journeys of Native Americans. The exhibit also addresses the evolution of transportation in America and how the hope of a better life in faraway locations drove the industry to its peak.

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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.