Following a pandemic-era surge in demand for Black portraiture, recent market shifts have raised important questions about cultural value, representation, and institutional priorities. This roundtable brings together artists and scholars to reflect on the forces shaping how Black subjects are depicted and received both historically and in contemporary art. Anchoring the conversation are two recent […]

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Canton Freedom House 838 George Washington Ave Canton, MS   11 a.m.   Read More

Part of the "A Gathering of Waters: The Power of Place & Pen in Mississippi's Literary Landscape" Program Writers Series & Podcast featuring Dana Williams Thursday, February 19, 2026 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Student Center Theatre Theme: “Toni Morrison at Random: Inspiring Mississippi Publishing on Our Own Ground” Program Description: Dr. Dana Williams, […]

"The Emmett Till Generation: Youth Activism, Radical Protest, and Social Change in Jim Crow Mississippi” presented by Dr. Daphne Chamberlain February 19, 2026 @ 12 PM Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System downtown branch This presentation highlights the role of children, between the ages of 7 and 18, as leaders and participants in the Mississippi civil rights […]

Jerry Jenkins presents “A Look at Mande (West African) Culture Through Traditional Music" This presentation will give the listener a glimpse of the Mande Culture of West Africa. In the tradition of the Mande, the history and culture is orally preserved in the minds and through the music of the Djeli (oral librarian/mandenka hereditary professional […]

William Arinder presents "Pioneer Toys, Games, and Music" on February 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. A living history program about the early pioneer settlers in Mississippi. Discussion centers around how they dressed, built their homes, produced and cooked their food, created children's homemade toys, and made music on the mountain dulcimer. Period clothing worn, hands-on […]

Zachary Dozier will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College titled “Heritage in Humanities: How Our Students’ Backgrounds Help Us Teach.” This presentation explores how incorporating students’ cultural and linguistic heritage can enrich language instruction. It will feature four students—two with Spanish-speaking backgrounds and two with family connections to […]

William “Brother” Rogers presents “Learning Mississippi History Through Historical Markers" From traditional green historical markers to the Mississippi Blues Trail, Freedom Trail, Country Music Trail, and Mississippi Mound Trail, the state’s history is told along its roads. The speaker takes a fun romp through history that will interest anyone who likes fascinating trivia about the […]

William Arinder presents "Pioneer Toys, Games, and Music" on February 26, 2026, at 1 p.m. A living history program about the early pioneer settlers in Mississippi. Discussion centers around how they dressed, built their homes, produced and cooked their food, created children's homemade toys, and made music on the mountain dulcimer. Period clothing worn, hands-on […]

Rebecca Jernigan presents "Mississippi Telling" The presenter provides an overview of the storytelling Renaissance in America with emphasis upon the oral tradition in Mississippi. The literary tradition of Mississippi owes much to the rich storytelling legacy that riddles the tales of our families and our communities as reflected in the works of many of our […]

Timothy Gutmann will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for the University of Southern Mississippi titled “Can Ancient Chinese Philosophy Make America Read Again?” “Can Ancient Chinese Philosophy Make America Read Again?” is about the crisis in the humanities at its most fundamental level: adults are spending less and less time reading, and reading […]

Mr. John Mayer will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Blue Mountain Christian University titled "Who are You?" What your fingerprints say about you and your Personality." The lecture will take place on the Blue Mountain Christian University campus on February 26, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.