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Nearly
500 people attended the first picnic 25 years ago. While the event
The following
years led to an increased involvement from universities
To date, there are more than 5,000 individuals and groups who are invited to attend the annual event which includes a plethora of food, competitions and varied musical guests. McPherson says, “This is a great day for Mississippians. We are proud to celebrate our heritage - a gift to us all.”
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The
first New York Mississippi Picnic took place in 1979, when a small
group of native Mississippians living in New York had a strong desire
to improve the perceptions of both regions in regard to one another.
“I felt that people in New York had negative ideas about people
from Mississippi, and people from outside New York had a terrible
image of Central Park,” says Rachel McPherson, one of the founders
of the event. Rachel, along with Kay McDuffie, Ron and Vicki Carter,
and Diane Wiltshire set about to improve these pre-conceived notions.
In addition, some of the founders were homesick and wanted to network
with Mississippians living in New York. “We wanted to do something
visual that would attract the attention of the media and that everyone
in the nation would see, and that is how the picnic was born,”
says McPherson.
received
much attention from the media upon its christening, the founders
had a strong desire to increase the size of the gathering. By the
second year, the small group of founders had established The New
York Society for the Preservation of Mississippi Heritage. The group
of supporters had also grown to include former Governor of the State
of Mississippi, William Winter, Congressman Sonny Montgomery,
and New York Mayor Ed Koch. “Having Mayor
Koch on board enabled us to fry catfish in Central Park,”
adds McPherson. “I have very fond memories of every picnic,”
she says. “ I particularly enjoyed watching Mayor Koch and
Congressman Montgomery spittin’ watermelon seeds.”
throughout Mississippi. “The birth of alumni gatherings came
about and the universities now use the picnic as a way of staying
in touch with their alumni, and it helps serve as a fundraising
vehicle for alums to support their university,” says McPherson.
In addition, the event helps recruit prospective students for universities
in Mississippi, and provides insight into the many wonderful institutions
in the region.
The
State of Mississippi has provided much help and support over the
past 25 years. Every Governor has attended and supported the event.
The picnic is an excellent tool to help promote Mississippi and
tourism along with educating people about our state.