Articles by Rufus Ward
Ask Rufus: The Prairie that was
Karen and I went to Rosenzweig arts Center Thursday night for the opening of Frances Hairston’s watercolor exhibit “Prairie Images: The Way I See It.”
Ask Rufus: Early Columbus churches
Last week I spoke about the history of Columbus to a large group of sixth graders at Heritage Academy. It’s always interesting to see what questions are on the minds of young people.
Ask Rufus: The Black Prairie blues
Recently, I traveled with some other members of the Black Belt Blues Foundation to the B.B. King Museum in Indianola and the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale.
Ask Rufus: A Rabbit on a Blue Moon
One of the fun things about writing this column is never knowing what direction it will take me. This weekend has seen the appearance of a blue moon. Actually a blue moon has nothing to do with the color of the moon.
Ask Rufus: Removing flags and burning books
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Ask Rufus: Dating a house and shooting a horse thief
One of the fun things about historical research is getting side tracked.
Ask Rufus: A historic flag for Mississippi
Once again the question of Mississippi’s flag has reared an ugly head.
Ask Rufus: The Chickasaw Expedition
Almost 475 years ago Hernando de Soto’s Spanish expedition arrived in what is now the Columbus, Starkville and West Point, Mississippi area, exploring the land and encountering the Chickasaw.
Ask Rufus: Heroes all
They were a band of brothers, and 71 years ago on June 6, 1944, in the night time darkness, hours before the landing of the greatest invasion force in history, they parachuted behind enemy lines.
Ask Rufus: The Birdmen and their buzz wagons
Just 10 years after the Wright brothers had delivered the first airplane to the newly formed U.S. Army Air Service, aircraft were playing an important role in World War I.
Remember
This is Memorial Day weekend. It is the grand opening of summer. A time to take to the river, the beach, play golf or go fishing. A time for beer and back yard barbeques or family picnics with iced tea and fried chicken. But we all need to stop, reflect and remember.
Ask Rufus: The ghost and Playboy bunnies of Waverly
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting with both Uncle Bunky and Robert Snow.
Ask Rufus: A personal story
My daughter, Sarah, called me on Friday to tell me that she was on her way to the Mall in Washington, D.C., so that my grandchildren, Harper and Sykes, could see the fly over of vintage aircraft commemorating the defeat of Germany and victory in Europe 70 years ago.
Ask Rufus: Art, lost gold mines and Walt Disney
Recently there was a television series about some treasure hunters out west having found an old map that they thought would lead them to a long lost gold mine.
Ask Rufus: Historical highlights of early Columbus
The first Columbus Pilgrimage was held 75 years ago on April 14 through 16 in 1940. A Pilgrimage guidebook was published that contained a section called “Historical Highlights” of Columbus.
Ask Rufus: Old Columbus
Most people seem to associate the history of the old homes of Columbus with the Civil War but I think of a much earlier time.
Ask Rufus: The Columbus pilgrimage is 75 years old
It was 75 years ago that the first Columbus Pilgrimage was held.
Jelly Roll to perform at Jeffery Simmons Community Fun Day
July 3, 2025
By
