The University Press of Mississippi was founded on the 1st of January 1970. This collaborative model emerged from a need to pool resources and amplify the voices of the Mississippi region. The press secured its membership in the Association of University Presses by the 2nd of May 1976.
The eight founding affiliates include Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi. This structure allowed the press to draw from a diverse range of academic strengths and institutional histories. No other press in the American academic publishing landscape is sponsored by eight distinct state universities.
The Margaret Walker Alexander Series in African American Studies serves as a flagship collection named after the poet and novelist who taught at Jackson State University. The press also launched the Civil Rights in Mississippi series and the Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha series. These series document the struggle for equality and analyze the lives and writings of literary giants like William Faulkner and Eudora Welty.
As of 2022, the press has published over 2000 titles. The press issues around 85 new books each year to build a substantial catalog of scholarly works. This steady output covers a wide range of topics including African American history, Southern literature, and pop culture.
The press embraces the study of pop culture media through series such as American Made Music, Hollywood Legends, and Reframing Hollywood. These publications explore the intersection of popular culture and regional identity. The press also publishes works on comic artists and horror studies to engage with all forms of cultural expression.