University, Miss. – Very few, if
any, outside Itawamba County could tell you who Bill Miles is. But this man played a valuable part in
not only North Mississippi history but also in the history of the University of
Mississippi. The most recent
addition to the Online Collections and Archives is the Bill Miles Collection.
“It is a wonderful
addition to the archives because there were so many layers to Bill Miles,” said
Leigh McWhite, Political Papers Archivist. “He was not only a journalist, but also founded his own
advertising and public relations firm, before serving 12 years in the
Mississippi House of Representatives, holding the important Chair of
Transportation.”
Bill Miles held
many different roles throughout his life.
Following graduation from Ole Miss, he spent time working in Tupelo as a
reporter and photographer. The
collection contains much of his work as a photographer working for various
North Mississippi publications.
During this time, Miles covered the Integration of the University of
Mississippi. “Certainly his most recognizable
work as a photographer came from his coverage of the Integration of the Ole
Miss,” said McWhite.
During his
coverage of James Meredith’s enrollment, he took some of the most iconic and
lasting photos of the event.
Included in the collection are his photographs of James Meredith with
Justice Department attorney John Doar walking to the Lyceum to enroll
Meredith. The collection also
includes the photo he took of Meredith and Doar riding in a car driven by a
Border Patrol Agent, as they were making their way to enroll Meredith, as well
as the picture he took of Lt. Governor Paul Johnson riding in a car on his way
to attempt to stop Meredith from enrolling.
In addition to covering
the integration, Miles also took the photograph of Meredith’s receiving his
diploma from Chancellor J.D. Williams.
The photo was not released as it was taken for political purposes, but
“it is one of the most noteworthy pieces in the collection,” according to
McWhite.
In addition to
working in journalism, he started the advertising and public relations firm,
Bristow-Miles, Inc. in Tupelo, Miss in 1963. The firm would later be known as Bill Miles Associates. This decision is significant because
his firm was the only one of its kind in North Mississippi. The collection includes his client
files that he kept from these days.
Amongst his clients was Zach Stewart, the longtime highway commissioner
of North Mississippi. The
collection contains his client file including photographs from one of the
biggest days in Stewarts career, the opening of Highway 78.
“Also in the
collection is the client file of Miles’ best known client, Jamie Whiten,” said
McWhite. Whitten was first elected
to the House of Representatives during a special election in 1941. He served uninterruptedly until his
retirement in 1995, which at the time was the longest anyone had served in the
House of Representatives.
Bill Miles
Collection can be found online on the J.D. Williams Library page on the Ole
Miss’ website. The collection
contains many historical photographs, many with Miles own commentary, and will soon add the diary that Miles kept daily while serving in the Mississippi
House of Representatives.
The Bill Miles Collection
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