Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Mississippi starts car tag to promote Blues Trail

The Mississippi Blues Foundation and the state Tax Commission are promoting a new specialty license plate for the Mississippi Blues Trail. Luther Brown, chairman of the foundation, said it needs money to erect historical markers at more than 40 sites. “We currently have funding for 119 markers, but our wish list has grown to more than 160 sites that we think are worthy of being designated as a stop on the Blues Trail,” Brown said. “We also want the visibility of the tags on the highway, so people will have reminders about our blues heritage.”

The commission will produce the license plates once the first 200 tags are sold. The extra fee will be $31, with $24 going directly to the Blues Trail marker program. Approximately 52 markers have been unveiled to date, and the audio/video components for the markers are in the process of being developed, which will add a new level of interest.

The Mississippi Blues Foundation is a support organization made up of a diverse group of business and community leaders. The role of this group is to identify and secure sources of financial and programmatic support for the work of the Mississippi Blues Commission.

For Mississippi residents: The application for the license plate can be found on the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola’s website. Email questions to info@indianolablues.org (Web site: http://www.indianolablues.org/) or call Dr. Luther Brown at 662-846-4311 at Delta State University’s Delta Center for Culture and Learning.

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