Scouting in Mississippi

Scouting in Mississippi has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Early history (1910-1950)

In 1914, the BSA gave local councils the power to ban African Americans from Scouting. Colored Troops, as they were officially known, were given little support from Districts and Councils. Some Scouting executives and leaders believed that Colored Scouts and Leaders would be less able to live up to the ideals of the Boy Scouts. The National Office began a program of integrating local councils in 1940, which was largely complete in 1948. However, until 1974, some Southern councils of the Boy Scouts of America were still racially segregated.

Recent history (1950-1990)

Scouting in Mississippi today

There are eight Boy Scouts of America local councils in Mississippi.

Andrew Jackson Council

Andrew Jackson Council serves Scouts in the area surrounding the state capital.

• Central District: most of Madison County and a portion of Hinds County
• Eastern District: Attala, Holmes, Leake, Scott, Simpson, Rankin, and portions of Hinds and Madison Counties
• Southern District: Adams, Amite, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike, and Walthall Counties
• Western District: Clairborne, Copiah, Issaquena, Sharkey, Warren, Yazoo, and a portion of Hinds County

OA Lodge: Sebooney Okasucca Lodge

Chickasaw Council

Main article: Chickasaw Council

Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in Tennessee and Arkansas, as well as Mississippi. The Delta Area Council of west Mississippi and their Koi Hatachie lodge 345, Order of the Arrow, merged into Chickasaw Council in the early 1990s.

Choctaw Area Council

Choctaw Area Council serves youth in east Mississippi and west Alabama, with the council office located in Meridian, Mississippi. The Choctaw Area Council camp is Camp Binachi, and the council's name refers to the Choctaw nation.

• Bobashela District
• Scott Mountain District
• Sowashee District

OA lodge: Ashwanchi Kinta Lodge

Istrouma Area Council

Main article: Scouting in Louisiana

Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Pine Burr Area Council

Pine Burr Area Council serves youth in 17 counties in southeast and southern Mississippi, from headquarters in Hattiesburg.

• Biloxi Bay District
• Singing River District
• Spanish Trail District
• Tall Pine District
• Tung Belt District
• Silver Cloud District
• Twin Rivers District

Scoutreach Division

Pushmataha Area Council

Main article: Pushmataha Area Council

Pushmataha Area Council serves Calhoun, Chickasaw, Monroe, Webster, Oktibbeha, Clay, Lowndes, Winston, Choctaw and Noxubee counties in north Mississippi. Camp Seminole is the Pushmataha Area Council camp.

• Chickasaw District
• Choctaw District

Southeast Louisiana Council

Main article: Scouting in Louisiana

The Southeast Louisiana Council serves Scouting in Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemine, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint James, Saint Tammany, and Terrebonne Parishes in Louisiana. The 1,200 acres (4.9 km²) camp property known as Salmen Scout Reservation is located in Kiln, Mississippi.

Yocona Area Council

Main article: Yocona Area Council

The Yocona Area Council of northeast Mississippi is headquartered in Tupelo. It serves Alcorn, Tishomingo, Prentiss, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Tippah, Union, Benton, Marshall, Lafayette, and Yalobusha counties. The Chicksa Lodge serves local Arrowmen.

• Apilachi District
• Chicksa District
• Jacinto District
• Tallahatchie District

Girl Scouting in Mississippi

There are three Girl Scout council offices in Mississippi. However two will be merging in 2009 probably on October 1.

Proposed Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi

Girl Scouts of Gulf Pines Council

Headquarters: Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Website: http://www.gulfpines.org/

Service centers:

• Gulfport, MS
• Meridian, MS

Camps:

• Camp Meridale is 160 acres (0.6 km²) near Meridian, MS
• Camp Iti Kana is 339 acres (1.4 km²) near Wiggins, MS. Its name is from Choctaw and means friendship.

Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi

Headquarters: Jackson, Mississippi
Website: http://www.gscmm.org

Service Center

• Brookhaven, MS

Camp:

• Camp Wahi is in Brandon, MS

Girl Scouts Heart of the South

See Scouting in Tennessee. In Mississippi serves girls in northern counties.

Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee
Website: http://www.girlscoutshs.org

Mississippi service centers:

• Greenwood, Mississippi
• Columbus, Mississippi
• Tupelo, Mississippi
• Corinth, Mississippi

Mississippi camps

• Camp Cedar Point is 150 acres (0.6 km²) on Grenada Lake
• Camp Tik-A-Witha is 310 acres (1.3 km²) (including a 20 acres (81,000 m²) lake) of woods and sand dunes near Van Vleet, MS

See also

Scouting portal

Camp Fire USA

External links

• Andrew Jackson Council
• Choctaw Area Council
• Pine Burr Area Council
• Pushmataha Area Council
• Yocona Area Council
• The Waveland Project, Tulpe Lodge of the Order of the Arrow has been to Waveland, Mississippi as part of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.