$3 million Lincoln, Civil War collection donated to Mississippi State University

Officials say a large Civil War donation will transform Mississippi State University into one of the nation's leading Civil War research destinations. Former Rhode Island Chief Justice Frank J. Williams, a nationally known authority on Abraham Lincoln, will donate his collection, amassed over the past 50 years. The collection -- valued at nearly $3 million -- features more than 17,000 items, including artifacts, signed documents, books and artwork from the Civil War era. • Article