Contact: Maridith Geuder
In a Saturday [Nov. 21] ceremony, Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) will donate his Congressional and personal papers to Mississippi State University.
The 9 a.m. public program in the John Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library will formalize a significant event for the university, said Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman.
"Congressman Pickering's papers will become an important part of an already significant congressional collection," she said.
The library's Special Collections already houses the papers of former U.S. senator John C. Stennis and former congressmen G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, David Bowen and Charles Griffin. The third-floor area also is home to University Archives; a collection of Mississippiana and rare books; and original manuscripts documenting individuals, families and organizations.
Now in his second term, Pickering was elected by 3rd District voters in 1996 to succeed Montgomery, who retired after 30 years in Washington, D.C. In addition to serving on the House Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science committees, the Jones County native is an assistant majority whip in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.
Earlier this year, he received the "Spirit of Enterprise Award" from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the "Friend of the Taxpayer Award" from Americans for Tax Reform.
A Laurel public schools graduate who once worked as a missionary in East-Central Europe, Pickering holds degrees from Baylor University and the University of Mississippi.