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B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, Indianola, Mississippi

INDIANOLA

Mississippi
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Roosevelt closed Indianola's post office on January 2, 1903, and rerouted mail to Greenville; Cox continued to receive her salary. Landmarks include B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center and Indianola Historic District. Indianola is the birthplace of Albert King, blues musician.

The Indianola Collection

Made for Indianola. Printed to order.

Indianola, Mississippi gifts and souvenirs: 31 designs made from Indianola's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $99. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.

PopularPrice
Indianola Hometown Ornament$23
Indianola Vintage Travel Posterfrom $40
Indianola Varsity Crewneckfrom $57
Indianola Est. Teefrom $33
Indianola Town Line Mugfrom $26
Indianola Market Tote$37
Indianola Hometown Ornament

Indianola Hometown Ornament

Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles

$23
Indianola Vintage Travel Poster

Indianola Vintage Travel Poster

Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout

from $40
Indianola Photo Art Print

Indianola Photo Art Print

A local landmark photo as a gallery print

from $40
Indianola “Greetings From” Poster

Indianola “Greetings From” Poster

Classic large-letter postcard art, filled with local photos

from $40
Indianola Snapshot Collage Poster

Indianola Snapshot Collage Poster

Six local landmarks as instant photos on kraft paper

from $40
Indianola History Timeline Poster

Indianola History Timeline Poster

The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom

from $44
Indianola Map Placemat

Indianola Map Placemat

Map of local landmarks, washable fabric

$31
Indianola Varsity Crewneck

Indianola Varsity Crewneck

Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back

from $57
Indianola Hometown Knit Sweater

Indianola Hometown Knit Sweater

Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print

from $57
Indianola Est. Tee

Indianola Est. Tee

Soft Bella+Canvas jersey

from $33
Indianola Est. Youth Tee

Indianola Est. Youth Tee

Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes

$30
Indianola Est. Toddler Tee

Indianola Est. Toddler Tee

Bella+Canvas toddler jersey

$29
Indianola Est. Baby One Piece

Indianola Est. Baby One Piece

Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit

$30
Indianola “Greetings From” Tee

Indianola “Greetings From” Tee

Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos

from $35
Indianola Town Line Mug

Indianola Town Line Mug

Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe

from $26
Indianola “Greetings From” Mug

Indianola “Greetings From” Mug

Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos, 11 oz ceramic

from $29
Indianola Garden Flag

Indianola Garden Flag

Weatherproof, for the front walk

$31
Indianola Welcome Doormat

Indianola Welcome Doormat

24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back

$66
Indianola Hometown Wood Sign

Indianola Hometown Wood Sign

12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang

$48
Indianola Map Throw Pillow

Indianola Map Throw Pillow

Soft-touch, zip cover

$47
Indianola Landmark Photo Pillow

Indianola Landmark Photo Pillow

A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″

$49
Indianola Market Tote

Indianola Market Tote

Sturdy all-over-print tote

$37
Indianola “Greetings From” Tote

Indianola “Greetings From” Tote

Large-letter postcard art on a sturdy tote

$37
Indianola “Greetings From” Trucker Cap

Indianola “Greetings From” Trucker Cap

Foam-front trucker, printed (not embroidered) with local photos

$33
Indianola Cork Coaster

Indianola Cork Coaster

Glossy top, cork back

$16
Indianola Street Map Throw Blanket

Indianola Street Map Throw Blanket

Soft fleece, 50″×60″

from $72
Indianola Snapshot Collage Blanket

Indianola Snapshot Collage Blanket

Six local landmarks as instant photos, soft fleece 50″×60″

from $76
Indianola Est. Tumbler

Indianola Est. Tumbler

20 oz, double-wall stainless

$51
Indianola B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center Postcard

Indianola B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center Postcard

6″×4″ postcard, glossy front

$10
Indianola Indianola Historic District Postcard

Indianola Indianola Historic District Postcard

6″×4″ postcard, glossy front

$10
Indianola Sanborn Map Print

Indianola Sanborn Map Print

The town's earliest Sanborn fire-insurance map, drawn building by building and hand-coloured, from the Library of Congress

from $44
Hometown roll

Born in Indianola

On the National Register

Historic places

Population 2010: 10,683 → 2020: 9,646

From Wikidata (CC0).

A short history of Indianola

On June 30, 1874 the town was surveyed and on April 14, 1885 an addition was made from the land of G. W. Faison. The population of the town was 1098 in 1900. In 1891, Minnie M. Cox was appointed postmaster of Indianola, becoming the first black female postmaster in the United States. Her rank was raised from fourth class to third class in 1900, and she was appointed to a full four-year term. Cox's position was one of the most respected and lucrative public posts in Indianola, as it served approximately 3,000 patrons and paid $1,100 annually, then a large sum. White resentment to Cox's prestigious position began to grow, and in 1902 some white residents in Indianola drew up a petition requesting Cox's resignation. James K. Vardaman, editor of The Greenwood Commonwealth and a white supremacist, began delivering speeches reproaching the people of Indianola for "tolerating a negro wench as a postmaster."

Racial tensions grew, and threats of physical harm led Cox to submit her resignation to take effect on January 1, 1903. The incident attracted national attention, and President Theodore Roosevelt refused to accept her resignation, feeling Cox had been wronged, and the authority of the federal government was being compromised. "Roosevelt stood resolute. Unless Cox's detractors could prove a reason for her dismissal other than the color of her skin, she would remain the Indianola postmistress."

Roosevelt closed Indianola's post office on January 2, 1903, and rerouted mail to Greenville; Cox continued to receive her salary. The same month, the United States Senate debated the Indianola postal event for four hours, and Cox left Indianola for her own safety and did not return. In February 1904, the post office was reopened but was demoted in rank from third class to fourth class.

In July 1954, two months after the Supreme Court of the United States announced its unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education, ruling that school segregation was unconstitutional, the local plantation manager Robert B. Patterson met with a group of like-minded people in a private home in Indianola to form the White Citizens' Council.

Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Indianola, Mississippi, revision 1376239109 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

For local organizations

Are you with a Indianola historical society?

We share a part of every Indianola sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.

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Custom orders

Want something Indianola we don't make yet?

A favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.

Free printables

Color Indianola

5 free coloring pages of Indianola, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.

Nearby

Neighboring towns

Sources

Indianola's population was 9,646 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 10,683 in 2010.