Another historic moment and legacy in Hattiesburg is being preserved at the Oseola McCarty House thanks to the work of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission. And it should be ready for a public reveal in 2024!
About the Oseola McCarty House
You may remember news of the Commission purchasing the Oseola McCarty House when it became available in 2017. The house was relocated to the Sixth Street Museum District in 2019, where it is being renovated and turned into a museum to celebrate McCarty’s life and contributions.
There is no official projected opening at this time, but a recent post by the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum did share it will be opening sometime next year.
More about Oseola McCarty
According to reports, the late Oseola McCarty was known to be a hard worker. She began working with her mother, grandmother and aunt after school when she was just 8 years old. She continued working as a washerwoman, conscientiously saving her money, until she retired in 1994.
In 1995, McCarty made an endearing and generous donation to the University of Southern Mississippi. She gifted about $150,000, which was most of her life savings, to establish a scholarship endowment for students in need.
After news of her generosity spread across the country, others followed suit, including Mississippi residents and beyond.
In fact, Visit Hattiesburg shares that such notable figures as President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman added to the endowment too. Today, the scholarship fund continues to send numerous students through college each year.
Location
Once the Oseola McCarty House is open to the public, visitors will find it on Sixth Street between the Historic Eureka School and the African American Military History Museum, both part of the Sixth Street Museum District.
Summary
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