Mississippi Governor: Time To Build Civil Rights Museum: Possible presidential contender Gov. Haley Barbour—under fire recently for comments that critics claim minimized the problems of Mississippi's civil rights era—said Tuesday night that his state should build a museum dedicated to the movement.
The Republican, who is considering a 2012 run in what could be a crowded GOP field, also used his 38-minute State of the State speech to criticize the policies of President Barack Obama.
Barbour said 2011 is a good time to move forward with the museum in Jackson. He said that was because it is the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders' journey that challenged racial segregation and the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.
