Archival repositories are a great source of primary sources. Here are links to major repositories in Mississippi that have digital holdings or finding aids available for consultation.
Searching for primary sources (e.g. diaries or memoirs, letters, original writings, etc.)? Here are some helpful hints for finding a primary source within the library stacks. Search the catalog with a keyword and one of these subject headings:
Encyclopedias can also provide information on various historical details. They are helpful when trying to imagine yourself from the perspective of someone not from your own time/place/culture.
Search the online catalog for "encyclopedias" and your topic of interest as subject terms, i.e. "encyclopedias and clothing."