Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A World War II-era Mississippi State graduate who went on to successful careers in farm management and journalism is donating a collection of his photographs and slides to the university's library archives.
Harris H. Barnes Jr. of Clarksdale recently provided 80 boxes of images dating back to 1946.
"All are related to agriculture," said Michael Ballard, head archivist at Mitchell Memorial Library. "Most of the material focuses on the Mississippi Delta, but other parts include images from throughout the United States and several foreign countries."
Ballard said portions of the Barnes Collection will be used to enhance the library's ongoing CHARM project. An acronym for the Consortium for the History of Agricultural and Rural Mississippi, the multi-unit university effort seeks to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the major role played by agriculture, forestry and rural life in the state's development, he explained.
"I join Dean Frances Coleman, the director of our campus library system, in thanking Mr. Barnes for this significant contribution," Ballard said. "It will greatly enhance our collection."
Barnes, a 1941 MSU agricultural administration graduate, became a Delta farm manager following war service in the Marine Corps. Concurrently, he began recording agricultural scenes through the lens of his personal cameras.
Over his career, the Coahoma native has received several major honors. In addition to being named Progressive Farmer magazine's Man of the Year in Service to Southern Agriculture, he was chosen to serve as president of the American Soybean and MSU Alumni associations.
After nearly a quarter-century in agricultural management, he became a full-time journalist and photographer. He worked for the Clarksdale-based Delta Farm Press newspaper, as well as Progressive Farmer and Farm Quarterly magazines, among others.
As a freelancer, Barnes completed publication in 2002 of "Cotton: A 50 Year Pictorial History," a 144-page, coffee-table-sized historical record of 20th century U.S. cotton production. Two years later, he produced another similar-sized photograph collection titled "The Beauty of Southern Agriculture." Both are released by Rural Services of Clarksdale.
Ballard said Barnes currently is completing work on a third book covering the years 1946-70 and titled "The Good Old Days on the Cotton Farm."
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information on the Barnes Photograph Collection, contact Dr. Ballard at (662) 325-7680 or mballard@library.msstate.edu.