03/18/2024
Statesmen Graduates, Delta State University, Alumnus Elbert Hilliard has passed away. His love for learning and empowering others to learn from primary source materials endeared him to archivists and researchers around the world.
He will be missed but the good work he began will live on for generations.
Well done, Mr. Hilliard 💚
The Mississippi Department of Archives & History (MDAH) is saddened to hear of the passing of MDAH director emeritus Elbert R. Hilliard on March 17. Hilliard became the fifth director of MDAH in 1973, after starting with the agency in 1965. He retired in 2004 after thirty-nine years of public service. He continued to support the work of the department. MDAH director Katie Blount said, “Under his leadership, MDAH grew to be a multifaceted historical agency with a national reputation for excellence. His work had a profound impact on the effort to preserve, interpret, and promote Mississippi history.”
He served as the secretary-treasurer of the Mississippi Historical Society for forty-four years, from 1973 to 2017. He also served as editor-in-chief for the "Journal of Mississippi History" throughout his thirty-one years as department director. Brother Rogers, secretary-treasurer for the Society, said “Mr. Hilliard’s long record of public service is an example for every public official in the state. He dedicated his career to promoting the preservation and understanding of Mississippi history. He will be remembered not only for his achievements, but also for his personal rectitude, humility, and generosity.” Read more at https://www.mdah.ms.gov/news/elbert-r-hilliard-87-former-director-mdah-dies.
Pictured is Hilliard with current MDAH director Katie Blount.
