Mississippi Humanities Council

Consumed: Black Art & Subjectivity
2026-02-12 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Mississippi Museum of Art, 380 South Lamar Street, Jackson, MS, 39201
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 acquisitions by MMA: a 19th-century portrait of Frederick, a formerly enslaved man, and a contemporary self-portrait by D’Angelo Lovell Williams. Together, these works provoke reflection on identity, agency, and the shifting narratives of Black visibility in American art. This program is made possible in part by the Mississippi Humanities Council under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Caton Freedom House
2026-02-17 11:00 - 13:00 | The Canton Freedom House, 838 George Washington Ave, Canton, MS, 39046, United States
Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Canton Freedom House
838 George Washington Ave
Canton, MS

11 a.m.

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A Gathering of Waters: Writers Series & Podcast featuring Dana Williams
2026-02-19 10:00 - 14:00 | MS
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, author of Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer’s Legendary Editorship, will be featured in conversation with Dr. Ebony Lumumba on Morrison’s impact as editor, and her relationship as mentee, she will also talk about the necessity for editing and publishing as a track for Creative Writing Programs at HBCUs – Jackson State University, in particular. Toni Morrison argued, ‘There is no place you or I can go, to think about or not think about, to summon the presences of, or recollect the absences of slaves . . . There is not even a tree scored, an initial that I can visit or you can visit in Charleston or Savannah or New York or Providence or better still on the banks of the Mississippi. And because such a place doesn’t exist . . . the book had to’. There are no HBCUs with major programs or courses in publishing and editing, and no publishing internships and opportunities offered. . Toni Morrison as the first Black female senior editor at Random House is inspiration for Black Mississippi students telling a Mississippi story, building a publishing institution on their own ground. This conversation will be followed by a live podcast recording featuring Dr. Carolyn Denard and JSU students and faculty in a discussion of selections of Toni Morrison’s literature that speaks on homeplace.

America250 Mississippi - The Emmett Till Generation: Youth Activism, Radical Protest, and Social Change in Jim Crow Mississippi
2026-02-19 12:00 - 15:00 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
“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 movement from 1946 to 1965. This presentation also offers a new perspective on the origins of the civil rights struggle and gives credence to how instrumental young people were to engaging in radical protest and grassroots activism in Mississippi.
Free and open to the public. Young adults and Adults
Contact: Mona Vance-Ali, 662-329-5300
www.clplsamerica250.com

Speakers Bureau: “A Look at Mande (West African) Culture Through Traditional Music"
2026-02-22 15:00 - 17:00 | Frazier Educational & Cultural Center, 1445 George F West Sr Blvd, Natchez, MS, 39120, United States
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 musicians). The establishment of the Mali Empire can be recalled and retold in the musical piece of the legendary Densoba (great warrior) Sunjata. This discussion explores the function of the Mande music and musical instruments, Mande class system, songs, ceremonies and stories. The discussion also examines the influence of West Africa on American culture and why the djembe was outlawed during slavery. Participants will learn about the djembe, its introduction by drummers like Babatunde Olatunji in 1950 and Ladji Camara from Guinea, and how it spread throughout America.

Speakers Bureau: "Pioneer Toys, Games, and Music"
2026-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Hatley Elementary School, 60286 Hatley RD, Amory, MS, 38821-7215
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 artifacts display and audience participation encouraged.

HTA Lecture: “Heritage in Humanities: How Our Students’ Backgrounds Help Us Teach”
2026-02-25 14:00 - 16:00 | MS Gulf Coast Community College, 51 Main St, Perkinston, MS, 39573, United States
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 French—as case studies for engagement strategies. While many universities discourage heritage speakers from enrolling in beginner language courses, this session argues that community colleges should embrace these learners to foster inclusivity and deepen classroom interaction.
The lecture will take place on Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkinston campus on February 25, 2026, at 2 p.m.

America250 Mississippi - Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration
2026-02-26 - 2026-02-28 | Natchez Convention Center, 211 Main Street, Natchez, MS, 39120
The Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration is proud to announce plans for the 37th annual Celebration, to be held February 26-28, 2026. View the 2026 agenda here!
Come and hear the story of America, from the founding to today, as told by expert historians and prolific authors! The 2026 NLCC will weave a diverse tapestry of the stories that make us who we are as Americans today. These are stories of hope and resilience, stories of perseverance and bravery, stories of ordinary people who took a stand and fought hard for the freedoms that we enjoy today.
Meet Our 2026 Authors & Presenters
View the CEU Agenda here
Nominate William Winter Scholars here
Nominate Vance Fellows here
Purchase tickets for the 2026 ticketed events:

Raise A Glass to Freedom
Food Power Politics
Voices of Freedom: An Evening with Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Lodging:
The Grand Hotel; 111 Broadway St.; Natchez, MS. (Access Code: NLCC) Book your room here!
Conference Co-Sponsors:
Co-Lin, the Adams County Board of Supervisors, Visit Natchez, Mississippi Arts Commission, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Mississippi Humanities Council, Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning at Alcorn State University, Walmart, Sons of the American Revolution, DAR, American Cruise Lines, and the generous contributions of individuals and businesses throughout the state and region.
Contact:
Brittany Caldwell, NLCC Director, Copiah-Lincoln Community College
nlcc@colin.edu or call 601.446.1104 or 601.446.1101.

Speakers Bureau: “Learning Mississippi History Through Historical Markers"
2026-02-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Walthall County Library, 707 Union RD, Tylertown, MS, 39667-2261
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 state.

Speakers Bureau: "Pioneer Toys, Games, and Music"
2026-02-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Hatley Elementary School, 60286 Hatley RD, Amory, MS, 38821-7215
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 artifacts display and audience participation encouraged.

Speakers Bureau: "Mississippi Telling"
2026-02-26 13:00 - 15:00 | North Mississippi Exchange Family Center, 106 Skyline Dr, Oxford, MS, 38655, United States
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 best authors: Welty, Wright, Faulkner, Henley, Williams. As part of the presentation, Dr. Jernigan performs as a story teller calling upon on her rich repertoire of original tales and literary masterpieces gearing her choices of tales according to her audience and offers material for children and adults.

HTA Lecture: “Can Ancient Chinese Philosophy Make America Read Again?”
2026-02-26 17:30 - 19:30 | University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg , MS - Mississippi, 39406
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 comprehension is declining worldwide. To confront this situation, Gutmann argues we can take a helpful perspective from the philosopher Zhu Xi (1130-1200 CE), whose thought inspired China’s imperial exam system. He will explore how Zhu Xi taught critical thinking through the social example of a literary canon that readers would share with each other and not, as academic humanists often do, as an individual skill abstracted from any particular reading material. However, Zhu Xi’s goal was not to indoctrinate unthinking conformity but to cultivate critical judgment about how to follow tradition and when to take exception.
The lecture will take place on the University of Southern Mississippi campus on TBD at 5:30 p.m.

HTA Lecture: "Who are You?" What your fingerprints say about you and your Personality"
2026-02-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Blue Mountain Christian University, 201 W Main St, Blue Mountain, MS, 38610
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.

HTA Lecture: “Roles, Obedience, and Authority: An Examination of the Stanford Prison Experiment”
2026-02-27 09:30 - 11:30 | Meridian Community College, 910 Hwy 19 N, Meridian, MS, 39307
Suzanne Gibson will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Meridian Community College titled “Roles, Obedience, and Authority: An Examination of the Stanford Prison Experiment.”
This presentation examines the Stanford Prison Experiment to explore how assigned roles can significantly influence human behavior. It explains how individuals may change when placed into specific social roles and how granting even a small amount of power can alter behavior within those roles. The presentation also discusses how authority and obedience can be established by stripping individuals of their identity, demonstrating how situational forces can outweigh personal morals and values.
The lecture will take place on the Meridian Community College campus on February 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Meridian Civil Rights Movement
2026-02-27 11:00 - 13:00 | Fielder & Brooks Drug Store, 2505 Fifth Street, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Meridian Civil Rights Movement
2505 5th Street
Meridian, MS

11 a.m.

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Speakers Bureau: "A Look at Mande (West African) Culture Through Traditional Music"
2026-02-27 14:30 - 16:30 | Canopy Children’s Solutions, 1465 Lakeland Dr, Jackson, 39216, United States
Jerry Jenkins presents “A Look at Mande (West African) Culture Through Traditional Music” on February 27, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.
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 musicians). The establishment of the Mali Empire can be recalled and retold in the musical piece of the legendary Densoba (great warrior) Sunjata. This discussion explores the function of the Mande music and musical instruments, Mande class system, songs, ceremonies and stories. The discussion also examines the influence of West Africa on American culture and why the djembe was outlawed during slavery. Participants will learn about the djembe, its introduction by drummers like Babatunde Olatunji in 1950 and Ladji Camara from Guinea, and how it spread throughout America.

Witness: The Freedom Memory Project Deadline
2026-03-01 | MS
Deadline for Witness: The Freedom Memory Project 2026 applications.
How to Apply
First, contact MHC Director of Strategic Initiatives John Spann (jspann@mhc.state.ms.us) to discuss your community’s idea. Then, ﬁll out the Witness: The Mississippi Freedom Project application by March 1, 2026. All applications will be reviewed by the project’s advisory board. The 2026 cohort of communities will be announced by April 1, 2026. Full details and 2026 applicant materials are available at https://shorturl.at/1GTd3.
The 2027 and 2028 applications will be announced at a later date.

Sunday Screening: “In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters”
2026-03-01 14:00 - 16:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Join us for a free screening of “In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters” at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 1, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium. This 35-minute documentary uncovers the little-known love story of Phillis Wheatley, America’s first Black published poet, and John Peters, a free Black man she married in 1778. Following the screening, a panel conversation featuring moderator Robby Luckett, scholar Ebony Lumumba, and filmmakers Leslie Askew and Turlough White will highlight Margaret Walker’s creation of the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival and the Black Studies program at Jackson State University.

This event is sponsored by the Mississippi Humanities Council, Film Mississippi, and the Mississippi Film Society. For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.

America250 Mississippi - The Women’s American Revolution
2026-03-02 12:00 - 14:00 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
“The Women’s American Revolution” presented by Sarah Hogue, PhD candidate

March 2, 2026 @12 PM
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System downtown branch
While the contributions of soldiers in American Revolution are easily seen, it can often be more difficult to envision the role that women played during the war. Women provided valuable support during the Revolution, taking on a variety of wartime roles for the Continental Army: soldier, supplier, spy, and combat supporter. On the home front, women not only experienced battles near their own communities, but also provided important labor for their families that freed men to fight. Women’s new-found freedoms and abilities during the war left them with a lasting question- what rights would they have in their newly founded nation?
Free and open to the public. Adults
Contact: Mona Vance-Ali, 662-329-5300
www.clplsamerica250.com

HTA Lecture: “Retrieving Virtue: Moral Character Development as an Act of Worship”
2026-03-02 15:30 - 17:30 | MS
Evan Lenow will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Mississippi College titled “Retrieving Virtue: Moral Character Development as an Act of Worship.”
Socrates famously stated, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Rather than the endless pursuit of vanity, Socrates called his students to aspire to virtue and character in order to become better people. The ancient quest for virtue needs a revival because we will flourish when we chase after the virtues that reflect the epitome of humanness.
The lecture will take place on the Mississippi College campus on March 2, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.

HTA Lecture: "A Comparative Study of Dual Enrollment Programs in Southern Mississippi"
2026-03-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Southwest Mississippi Community College, 1156 College Drive, Summit, MS, 39666
Joe B. Raymond III will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Southwest Mississippi Community College titled “A Comparative Study of Dual Enrollment Programs in Southern Mississippi.”
The lecture will take place on the Southwest Mississippi Community College campus on March 3, 2026, at 1 p.m.

HTA Lecture: “From Austen to Bridgerton: The Enduring Appeal of Regency Romance in Popular Culture”
2026-03-03 14:00 - 16:00 | Holmes Community College – Ridgeland Campus, 412 W. Ridgeland Avenue, Ridgeland, MS, 39157
Dr. Amber Harrison Mabus will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Holmes Community College titled “From Austen to Bridgerton: The Enduring Appeal of Regency Romance in Popular Culture.”
250 years after her birth, Jane Austen’s stories still resonate with modern audiences, thanks to the ongoing popularity of Regency-era romance in books, television, and film. Dr. Amber Mabus will explore how Austen’s novels laid the groundwork for this genre, shaping the way 21st-century audiences think about love, social rules, and class during the Regency period. By connecting Austen’s work to modern adaptations like Netflix’s Bridgerton, Mabus’s presentation will demonstrate why Austen’s portrayal of romance within strict social boundaries continues to captivate audiences today.
The lecture will take place on the Holmes Community College Ridgeland campus on March 3, 2026, at 2 p.m.

HTA Lecture: “Race, Speculative Value and Art at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century”
2026-03-03 17:00 - 19:00 | University of Mississippi, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS, 38677, United States
Dr. Richard Purcell will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for the University of Mississippi titled “Race, Speculative Value and Art at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century.”
The lecture will take place on the University of Mississippi campus on March 3, 2026, at 5 p.m.

Speakers Bureau: "Slavery in Antebellum Mississippi"
2026-03-03 19:00 - 21:00 | South Mississippi Genealogical & Historical Society, 307 2nd Ave, Hattiesburg, MS, 39401-3887, United States
Max Grivno presents “Slavery in Antebellum Mississippi”
By 1860, Mississippi’s farms and plantations yielded 1.2 million bales of cotton, making it the nation’s leading cotton producer. This prosperity rested on the backs of some 436,631 enslaved blacks, who constituted 55 percent of the state’s population and who made Mississippi the third-largest slave-holding state, behind only Virginia and Georgia. This presentation examines the development of slavery from the perspective of the enslaved. Beginning with the “Flush Times” of the 1830s and continuing to the outbreak of the Civil War, it examines the interstate slave trade, the working lives of enslaved blacks and the myriad ways in which bondsmen and women struggled against their masters. It traces the paths of runaway slaves, reconstructs slave uprisings and insurrection scares, looks at their families and communities and follows the enslaved into the state’s churches. The presentation draws from auto-biographies and interviews with former slaves, newspapers, plantation records and government documents.

HTA Lecture: “The Mind-Body Loop: How Psychology Shapes Health More Than We Realize”
2026-03-04 11:00 - 13:00 | Pearl River Community College – Poplarville Campus, 101 US-11, Poplarville, MS, 39470, United States
Shelly Stolp will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Pearl River Community College titled “The Mind-Body Loop: How Psychology Shapes Health More Than We Realize.”
This presentation examines how psychological processes shape physical health, often through everyday stress. Using guided imagery and discussion of the autonomic nervous system, it illustrates the mind–body feedback loop. Attendees will learn how stress regulation and coping strategies influence health outcomes.
The lecture will take place on the Pearl River Community College campus on March 4, 2026, at 11 a.m.

HTA Lecture: “When We See Ourselves: Representation, Mentorship, and Storytelling Across the Arts”
2026-03-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Jackson State University, 1400 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, 39217
Yolanda Williams will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Jackson State University titled “When We See Ourselves: Representation, Mentorship, and Storytelling Across the Arts.”
“When We See Ourselves: Representation, Mentorship, and Storytelling Across the Arts” explores the role of representation and mentorship in shaping storytelling across theatre, film, and the arts. Grounded in lived experiences, this lecture reflects on visibility as a humanistic practice that expands possibility and affirms identity, challenge narrow narratives, and opens pathways for future artists.
The lecture will take place on the Jackson State University campus on March 5, 2026, at 10 a.m.

HTA Lecture: “Freedom to Save the Body (of Christ): The Rhetorical Chemotherapy of Archbishop Salvatore Cardileone”
2026-03-05 13:00 - 15:00 | William Carey University, 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, MS, 39401
Dr. Brandon Knight will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for William Carey University titled “Freedom to Save the Body (of Christ): The Rhetorical Chemotherapy of Archbishop Salvatore Cardileone.”
“Freedom to Save the Body (of Christ): The Rhetorical Chemotherapy of Archbishop Salvatore Cardileone” is a rhetorical analysis of a homily presented by the archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, at the Walk for Life West Coast a few months prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. From this research, he argues that, whereas Cordileone’s early discourse displays patient casuistic rhetoric with members of his diocese, he transitions to the prophetic voice in his WLWC homily because of Catholic pro-choice adherents with political standing and influence, like the-then Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Acting in the lineage of the prophets, Cordileone uses a rhetorical chemotherapy to save the body of Christ and uphold the culture of life.
The lecture will take place on the William Carey University campus on March 5, 2026, at 1 p.m.

Read & Rise
2026-03-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-14 09:00 - 12:00 | Katrina’s Klassroom, 1952 Simpson Hwy 149, Mendenhall, 39114, United States
Read & Rise is a family literacy program that brings children and parents together through shared reading, culturally relevant books, including works by Mississippi authors, parent workshops, and creative activities. Each session features community reading circles, guided literacy activities, strategies for supporting reading at home, and free book distribution to help families build home libraries. By engaging families in storytelling and reflection, Read & Rise promotes both literacy skills and a deeper understanding of human experiences and community values.

Turning Pages, Changing Lives
2026-03-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Lemuria Book Store, 4465 I-55 STE 20, Jackson, MS, 39206, United States
Prison Education Advocates in Conversation with Elizabeth Howard
Saturday, March 7, at 2 p.m.
Lemuria Books
