Mississippi Humanities Council

Mississippi Museum Conference
2024-09-16 08:00 - 2024-09-17 17:00 (America/Chicago) | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
The Mississippi Museum Conference will be held at the Two Mississippi Museums– Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum–on September 16–17, 2024, in Jackson. This two-day program will offer training and networking opportunities to cultural institutions in the state of Mississippi. Session topics will focus on best practices for museums in a range of topics such as community engagement, collections management, exhibit design, education, and more.
For more information, email Sarah Grantham, student learning manager at the Two Mississippi Museums, sgrantham@mdah.ms.gov or call 601-576-6799.

Speakers Bureau: Learning Mississippi History Through Historical Markers
2024-09-17 17:00 - 18:00 | Walthall County Library, 707 Union RD, Tylertown, MS, 39667-2261
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, William “Brother” Rogers, takes a fun romp through history that will interest anyone who likes fascinating trivia about the state.

Ideas on Tap: Reimagining Statuary Hall
2024-09-18 18:00 - 20:00 | The Station, 3025 N State St,, Jackson, MS, 39216
Ideas on Tap: Reimagining Statuary Hall is a MHC program in partnership with Mississippi Today.
Join us for a fun and educational evening highlighting great Mississippians who have contributed to our state and nation.

10 people will present their favorite Mississippian and make the case for why they should represent the state in Congress’ Statuary Hall in a 5-minute Pecha Kucha-style performance.

This event is free and open to the public.

Speakers Bureau Presentation: “Slavery in Colonial Natchez: Cotton, Race, and Wealth before the Old South”
2024-09-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Museum of Natural Science, 2148 Riverside Dr., Jackson, MS, 39202, United States
“Slavery in Colonial Natchez: Cotton, Race, and Wealth before the Old South” examines how slaves and colonists weathered the economic and political upheavals that rocked the Lower Mississippi Valley in the years between the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Dr. Pinnen focuses on the fitful–and often futile–efforts of the English, the Spanish, and the Americans to establish plantation agriculture in Natchez and its environs, a district that emerged as the heart of the “Cotton Kingdom.” Within this setting, slaves seized on many weapons to claim their freedom and subsequently redefined the ever-changing meaning of race, slavery and freedom.

Slavery in Colonial Natchez: Cotton, Race, and Wealth before the Old South
2024-09-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Museum of Natural Science, 2148 Riverside Dr., Jackson, MS, 39202, United States
This presentation by Dr. Christian Pinnen examines how slaves and colonists weathered the economic and political upheavals that rocked the Lower Mississippi Valley in the years between the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Dr. Pinnen focuses on the fitful–and often futile–efforts of the English, the Spanish, and the Americans to establish plantation agriculture in Natchez and its environs, a district that emerged as the heart of the “Cotton Kingdom.” Within this setting, slaves seized on many weapons to claim their freedom and subsequently redefined the ever-changing meaning of race, slavery and freedom.

Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History Museum Day Events
2024-09-20 08:00 - 2024-09-21 17:00 | GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, 800 West Sunflower Rd, Cleveland , MS, 38732, United States
GRAMMY Museum Mississippi is hosting a soft opening and curator-led exhibit tours on September 20, 2024.
Later in October followed by a panel discussion and live entertainment in the Museum’s Sanders Soundstage. Moderated by Bob Santelli, the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music’s Founding Executive Director & Music America exhibit curator, the panel will feature special guests William Ferris (author, scholar and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities), Marty Stuart (GRAMMY-winning country and bluegrass singer, songwriter, and musician), and Irma Thomas (GRAMMY-winning singer). The panelists will discuss the country’s nearly 250 years of music history, as well as the rich musical culture in the Delta, how that culture played a vital role in shaping a number of genres, from jazz to blues to rock and roll, and how that influence continues to be seen in music today.
On September 20, 2024, the Museum will host two events. At 9am, GMM will hold an exclusive exhibit preview and breakfast for members with a welcome given by exhibit curator and Founding Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives, Bob Santelli. The breakfast will be followed by a 10am education workshop for local students before the exhibit officially opens to the public. The workshop will include a discussion on the impact of music in America over the last 250 years.

The Blossoms Mother-Daughter Reading Club
2024-09-20 14:00 - 2024-09-21 15:00 | Lemuria Book Store, 4465 I-55 STE 20, Jackson, MS, 39206, United States
The Blossoms Mother-Daughter Reading Club is an intergenerational program that brings Black female Gen-Z students together with their mothers for dialogue that fosters voice, agency, self-confidence, & leadership. Reading texts centered on girlhood and womanhood, as experienced in Black culture, the group engages in bi-weekly workshops that enhance students’ vocabulary, comprehension, and verbal communication skills.
For the 2024-2025 season, the group of 50 (25 girls/25 moms) will read and discuss Taiyon J. Coleman‘s Traveling without Moving: Essays from a Black Woman Trying to Survive in America . During each bi-weekly meeting, the group will work towards the following objectives:
1. Explore themes such as Black culture, knowledge justice, empathy, systemic marginalization, girlhood, womanhood, strength of a mother, storytelling, and emergence
2. Summarize stories, pinpointing main ideas and supporting details
3. Examine imagery, metaphor, rhyme, alliteration, and symbolism
4. Compare and/or contrast characters and situations by making text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to self connections
5. Complete interactive activities that help develop short, group presentations at a culminating event
September 21: Virtual Orientation — 2:00-3:00
September 22: Book Distribution Social at Lemuria Book Store — 2:00-3:00

Banned Books Week 2024
2024-09-23 16:00 - 2024-09-27 18:00 | MS
MUW, MSMS, and Friendly City Books will host 4 events during Banned Books Week, September 22-27th, to bring awareness to censorship attempts in the US and stimulate dialogue around this year’s theme: “Freed Between the Lines.”

On Monday, September 23rd at 4:00 pm in MUW Fant Library’s Tiered Classroom, we invite you to hear Dr. Shannon Oltmann’s invited talk, “Fanning the flames: Why book bans are on the rise and what we can do about it.” Dr. Oltmann, author and professor at University of Kentucky, will explore why book bans and censorship are happening more frequently and discuss what can be done to stand up against book bans. The talk will also be live-streamed and recorded.

On Tuesday, September 24th at 5:00 p.m., starting at the entrance of MUW’s campus, we will host a walkthrough featuring frequently and popular banned book titles and data about book banning in the U.S. The walkthrough will end at the W Galleries in Summer Hall for the opening reception of the Banned Books juried art exhibition. The reception will run from 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m., and refreshments will be provided. The exhibition will feature works that deal with particular banned books, or engage with themes that often result in censorship. The exhibition will run from September 23 – October 25, 2024

On Wednesday, September 25th from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Friendly City Books in Downtown Columbus, join us for a read-aloud of Jeanette Walls’ The Glass Castle, the 17th most banned book in the 2010s, written by this year’s Welty Gala speaker. The first 25 people who register to participate will receive a FREE copy of the book, courtesy of The Friendly City Books Community Connection, a special project of the CREATE foundation.

All event details – including links – are available at libguides.muw.edu/bannedbooks. We hope you can celebrate with us! Any questions can be directed to Hillary Richardson (hhrichardson@muw.edu).

2024 MCHEP Convening
2024-09-25 09:30 - 2024-09-26 13:30 | Eagle Ridge Conference Center, 1500 Raymond Lake Rd., Raymond, MS, 39154
The 2024 MCHEP Convening will be held September 25 – 26, 2024, at the Eagle Ridge Conference Center and Resort in Raymond, Mississippi. The Convening is an annual event that focuses on best practices, policy updates, Pell implementation information designed to assist colleges, universities, and partners in prison education work to provide meaningful instruction leading to degree completion.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Registration from 9:30 – 10 a.m.
Convening starts at 10 a.m.
Dinner at 5 p.m.
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Agenda continues from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Registration information is coming soon! If you are interested in sponsoring the convening, please fill out this sponsorship form.
For questions and interest, please contact Yolanda Houston at yhouston@woodwardhines.org.

The Mississippi Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MCHEP) partners with major stakeholders within the state of Mississippi and beyond to bring quality resources and information to practitioners that will assist in supporting students impacted by the criminal justice systems while providing data and evaluations to expand and promote quality postsecondary education opportunities for students.

PRAGDA Spanish Film Festival
2024-09-25 17:30 - 20:00, 2024-10-09 17:30 - 20:00, 2024-10-23 17:30 - 20:00 | Jackson State University, 1400 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, 39217
The PRAGDA Spanish Film Festival promotes Spanish language and culture by curating a series of films, offering a platform for educational and societal enrichment.
This event comprises the presentation of five films that typically extend beyond traditional cinema or streaming platforms, delving into themes that intricately intertwine personal and political dimensions. Each session includes the screening of curated cinematic pieces followed by a subsequent Q&A segment to foster engaging discussions exploring language variations, socio-cultural and political nuances.
The film series will consist of five screenings, each accompanied by discussions led by humanities experts. The events will take place at JSC Theater 2200 (Meeting Room), at Jackson State University, on the following dates:
Everybody Leaves (Todos se van)
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
The Awakening of the Ants (El despertar de las hormigas)
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
100 Ways to Cross the Border (Note: This date may be changed)
Date: Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Drowning Letters (Cartas mojadas)
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Nudo Mixteco
Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Speakers Bureau Presentation: “Gardening Southern Style”
2024-09-26 10:30 - 11:30 | Wayne County Library, 1103 Mississippi Dr, Waynesboro, MS, United States
Felder Rushing addresses how the food we grow in our region connects us in many ways regardless of who our ancestors were. He also discusses heirloom fruits and vegetables, cross-cultural plant swapping, and more!

Sink or Be Sunk!
2024-09-27 08:00 - 2024-09-28 17:00 | Bay St. Louis Community Hall, 301 Blaize Ave, Bay St Louis, MS, 39520
Sink or Be Sunk! is an original one-act play written for the Hancock County Historical Society. It is based on the well-researched book of the same name by HCHS member and historian Paul Estronza La Violette. The play recounts events in December of 1814 during the War of 1812 when the British navy arrived in Mississippi Gulf Coast waters. Two naval battles occurred at that time – one in the Bay of St. Louis and one in nearby Lake Borgne.
Two performances have been scheduled on Saturday, September 28 at the Bay St. Louis Community Hall. A proposed school performance for local Mississippi history students on Friday, September 27. The Community Hall is centrally located in Bay St. Louis. It has ample parking and is ADA compliant.
There will be displays in the lobby with more information and history.
There will be no admission fee, but reservations are suggested. Reservations can be made on the play website https://hancock39520.wixsite.com/sink-or-be-sunk

"Voices of Our People" Podcast Launch
2024-09-30 | MS
The University of Southern Mississippi launches “Voices of Our People,” a podcast series amplifying the consequential story of World War II through the voices of those who fought on its front lines and contributed to victory at home. The 10-week podcast series is funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
Each episode in “Voices of Our People: WWII” features approximately an hour of in-depth analysis by top military historians at USM combined with the excerpts from the extensive collection of interviews in the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage archive. A new episode will drop every week for the next 10 weeks.
“Voices of Our People: WWII” will be available across all podcast platforms.
Click here for information on the COHCH and click here for information on the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society.

60th Anniversary of Freedom Summer
2024-10-03 11:00 - 17:00 | COFO Building, 1017 J.R. Lynch St., Jackson, MS
During the events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, the first panel will include Jackson State University Professor of Political Science, Dr. Leslie-Burl McLemore, who was also a MFDP delegate to Atlantic City in 1964; University of Tennessee Chattanooga Professor of Political Science, Dr. Michelle Donaldson Deardorff; Southwest Minnesota State University Professor of History, Dr. Jeffrey Kolnick; Ohio State University Professor of History, Dr. Tiyi Morris; and Tougaloo College Professor of History and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Daphne Chamberlain. The panel will chart the centrality of the MFDP in the planning and formation of Freedom Summer, set out how the Summer Project played a catalytic and defining role in the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, then reflect on the impact of the Voting Rights Act on Mississippi and US politics, and conclude by looking at the retreat from voting rights expansion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Shelby v. Holder decision (2013).
The second panel will be made up of civil rights veterans including Dr. Leslie-Burl McLemore, Dr. Joyce Ladner, Rims Barber, MacArthur Cotton, Euvester Simpson, Charles McLaurin, and Jacqueline Byrd Martin. They are all native Mississippians who participated as staff members and volunteers for Freedom Summer, and they all played key roles in supporting the MFDP. They will tell their own stories as part of an ongoing conversation with the earlier panel of scholars. Nothing is more important than hearing the voices of those who made history, and, as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, those voices are becoming fewer and fewer. The panel will be moderated by Jackson State University Professor of History and Director of the Margaret Walker Center and COFO Center, Dr. Robert Luckett.
A luncheon and reception will be held in honor of these veterans, and they will be officially recognized for their contributions.
Schedule:Panel 1 – 11:00 amFree boxed lunch – 12:30 pmPanel 2 – 2:00 pmReception and Presentations – 4:00 pmThe entire event is free and open to the public at the COFO Civil Rights Education Center. If you can’t make it in person, the event will be live-streamed on JSU’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/jsutv
This program is sponsored by: Mississippi Humanities Council as well as the Division of Research and Economic Development and the Institute for Social Justice & Race Relations at Jackson State University.

Speakers Bureau: All Things Mississippi: The Beautiful Landscapes and the Great Strength of the People
2024-10-03 12:30 - 14:00 | Alcorn State University, 1000 ASU Drive, Lorman, MS, 39096
Anne McKee is recognized statewide as a passionate teacher of Mississippi history. Through the art of storytelling, Anne McKee uplifts the accomplishments of famous Mississippians and shares explores the history of a land and a people like no other. Native to the state, McKee’s love and support for Mississippi began in childhood as she sat at the knees of relatives to learn the Mississippi story—a story for her that is always new and fresh. She dresses in costumes representing the time period of the stories featured on the day of her programs, and at times, if the audience is willing, involves attendees in her stories.

Food, Culture, + Climate
2024-10-03 18:00 - 21:00 | Bonfire Restaurant, 2079 E Pass Rd Suite A, Gulfport, MS, 39507
“A reclamation and reflection on food systems, climate resilience, community economies, and foodways on the MS Gulf Coast.”
Join us at Bonfire Restaurant for a unique event exploring the intersection of food, culture, and climate. Indulge in delicious dishes while learning about sustainable practices and their impact on our environment. Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about preserving our planet through culinary experiences. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the delicious world of sustainability!
Panelist for the event include: Dr. Mary Coleman, Umi Mills, Ya-Sin Shabazz, Dr. Deanne Stephens

Speakers Bureau: The Mississippi Civil Rights Movement in Contemporary Times
2024-10-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Hinds Community College – Raymond Campus, 501 East Main Street, Raymond, 39154, United States
Flonzie Brown Wright will give a talk “The Mississippi Civil Rights Movement in Contemporary Times” at the McLendon Library at Hinds Community College in Raymond at 2pm.
Flonzie Brown Wright has been involved in the Civil Rights Movement since 1963. Her presentation examines the role of youths in the movement, the importance of women in the struggle, the impact of slavery and lessons learned and the impact today of obtaining the right to vote. Ms. Wright recaps the Civil Rights Movement and the lessons learned, and examines current strategies for achieving more community involvement, participation and proactive involvement. She stresses the importance of continued voter registration and education, chronicling and preserving our history, getting out the vote and increasing community awareness, interest and involvement.

30 Years of Resilience: Recovering Thee History of the School of Social
2024-10-10 14:00 - 19:00 | Mississippi Public Broadcasting, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS, 39211
’30 Years of Resilience: Recovering Thee History of the School of Social ‘ aims to preserve and document the milestones, achievements, and challenges of the School of Social Work at Jackson State University (JSU). Through the collection of oral histories, archived documents, and art, this project seeks to highlight the resilience and history of individuals who have shaped communities and inspired positive change. This documents the School of Social Work’s role in fostering accessibility and equity in higher education through social work across the State of Mississippi to ensure its history is accessible for future research and reflection. Through this event, audiences will have the opportunity to explore the historical significance and economic impact of HBCUs on various communities in Mississippi. Audiences will also be able to understand the successes and challenges experienced by HBCUs and bridge Mississippi HBCUs’ involvement in the 1975 Ayers v. Fordice class-action lawsuit.
This event includes a short program, oral history, a panel discussion with a moderator, and a Q&A session. The panel consist of three panelists exploring the evolution, impact, and challenges faced by The School of Social Work over the past three decades, highlighting its contributions to social justice, community welfare, and education. There will also be an unveiling of a mural in the School of Social Work-Master of Social Work Program that will honor the school’s legacy and achievements. A small reception with light refreshments will be held to provide an opportunity for networking, socializing, and further discussion.
This event will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2024, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. The program will be held in the auditorium of Mississippi Public Broadcasting located at 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS, 39211. The outline of the program is as follows:
2:00-2:15-Opening Remarks/Welcome/Introduction to the Theme
2:15-2:30-Historical Reflection
2:15-2:45-Panel Discussion
2:45-3:15-Documenting the Journey/Oral History
3:15-3:45-Community Engagement/Q&A w/Moderator
3:45-4:00-Closing Remarks
4:00-5:00-Mural Unveiling and Networking Reception

Mississippi Archaeology Expo
2024-10-12 10:00 - 15:00 | Museum of Natural Science, 2148 Riverside Dr., Jackson, MS, 39202, United States
Celebrate MS Archaeology Month!
Join the MS Archaeology Association for this hands-on event at MDWFP’s Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson designed for school-aged children and adults.
Enjoy:
• Artifact Identification and Displays
• Atlatl Demonstrations (Spear throwing)
• Prehistoric Technology Stations
• Crafts
• Food Trucks
• Museum exhibits & “Dinosaurs Around the World” Exhibit, and more!

The Expo is the Mississippi Archaeological Association’s annual free, family-friendly event that celebrates Mississippi Archaeology Month and helps to educate the public on archaeology and American Indian cultural heritage in Mississippi. In addition to meeting Choctaw representatives and seeing lifeway displays, visitors will enjoy artifact identification and displays, atlatl demonstrations (spear throwing), prehistoric technology stations, crafts, and expert lectures at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. featuring Mississippi’s Ice Age megafauna and the American southeast at the end of the Ice Age. Visitors will meet representatives from the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Archaeological Conservancy, and the National Park Service. Food trucks will also be on-site, not included with Expo admission.
This program is financially assisted by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the Mississippi Humanities Council. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Mississippi Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Sunday Screening: Little Brother of War
2024-10-13 14:00 - 16:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Join us for a screening of Little Brother of War at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 13, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums.
Directed by Bryan W. Carpenter, the 89-minute film focuses on the Native American game stickball and the struggle by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to keep traditions alive in the modern day.
This screening is part of the ongoing Sunday Screenings at the Two Mississippi Museums and is followed by a Q&A session.

Mississippi Humanities Council Board Meeting
2024-10-15 11:00 - 14:00 | Mississippi Museum of Art, 380 South Lamar Street, Jackson, MS, 39201
MHC bi annual board meeting will be held at the Mississippi Museum of Art and will feature a tour of Nuestro Mississippi headed IAJE’s Lorena Quiroz.

MS Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
2024-10-17 08:00 - 2024-10-19 22:00 | Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road, Clarksdale, MS, 38614, United States
Established in 1993 with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the MS Delta Tennessee Williams Festival will celebrate its 32nd year highlighting the life and works of the great American playwright, Tennessee Williams, while focusing on his roots in the Mississippi Delta and how Clarksdale and Coahoma County influenced him and his work over the years.

This 3-day literary festival has become a jewel in our Delta community. For the 2024 festival, we plan to focus on the “apprentice” play Spring Storm. Williams wrote this play, set in the fictional town of Port Tyler, Mississippi, in 1937-1938 while finishing his undergraduate degree in the theater department at the University of Iowa. The play is about the unrequited love of four young people in a small Delta town near the Mississippi River which closely resembles Clarksdale—the play features local landmarks in Coahoma County such as Moon Lake, Friar’s Point, the Carnegie Public Library and St. George’s Episcopal Church. It is filled with character types and story elements that Williams would develop in several of his later plays.
We have invited seven scholars to offer presentations and participate throughout the festival.

The festival will also feature a performance of Spring Storm by the Tennessee Williams Theater Company of New Orleans, directed by Salvatore Mannino. You can see the schedule below that shows all of the public programming that we are planning thus far. It’s going to be another great festival!

Thursday, October 17, 2024
Overview: Art Exhibit & Opening Lunch at the Cutrer Mansion — Tour of Clarksdale highlighting Tennessee Williams sites — Delta Dinner Party at the Moon Lake Casino

11:00 AM Opening Lunch at the Cutrer Mansion | Well, We All Have to Paint Our Nudes!
Unveiling of original artwork by celebrated New Orleans artist, George Dureau (1930 – 2014) to be donated to the Cutrer Mansion by Erma Duricko in honor of Dr. Kenneth Holditch (1933 – 2022); View Tennessee Williams Artwork Exhibited at the Cutrer Mansion in partnership with Rhodes College and hear art presentations by students from Rhodes College

1:00 PM Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum and St. George’s Episcopal Church open for tours

2:30 PM Tennessee Williams in Clarksdale Tour | Developed by Karen Kohlhaas of the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum
This unique and exciting tour (on bus and by personal car) lasts approximately two hours and includes locations in Clarksdale and Coahoma County that are featured in the plays of Tennessee Williams. Along the way, actors and other participants will read and perform monologues and scenes set in some of the locations. Several locations are settings in our featured play, Spring Storm.

We will begin at the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum, in the former rectory of St. George’s Episcopal church, where Williams lived with his grandparents.
The rectory itself is a setting in Williams’ plays, SUMMER AND SMOKE, and THE ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE.
Additional tour locations include:
• The Cutrer Mansion a.k.a. Belvoir (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE)
• Mercantile Store (Collective Seed and Supply) (ORPHEUS DESCENDING)
• Carnegie Public Library (SPRING STORM)
• Grange Cemetery: Cutrer graves (STREETCAR, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, ORPHEUS DESCENDING); Angel Statue (SUMMER AND SMOKE); Mrs. Wingfield’s grave (THE GLASS MENAGERIE); as well as character names from other Clarksdale residents such as Gilliam, Baugh, Anderson
• The former Wingfield home (THE GLASS MENAGERIE)
• Clarksdale’s Historic District including houses Williams played in as a child (Phil Clark’s house, Gilliam’s house, Baby Doll and Eddie Peacock’s House)
• The Paramount Theater (formerly the New Marion) where Williams first went to the movies with his grandfather—in his plays and stories he calls it the Delta Brilliant (ORPHEUS DESCENDING)
• The Riverside Hotel, site of the death of Blues legend Bessie Smith (ORPHEUS DESCENDING)
• Along the way, pointing out local Blues and other history: locations such as the New World where ‘The Father of the Blues’, W.C. Handy, lived and played (Williams mentions him in short stories) Also, the depot where Charlie Chaplin spoke during WWI, and where Williams left for St. Louis and Muddy Waters left for Chicago. And, the site of the former theater where Sarah Bernhardt performed twice in Clarksdale, including the same month that Williams’ grandfather first began services at St. George’s.
• The former freight yards in front of what is now the Delta Blues Museum, where the character Hertha commits suicide (SPRING STORM)
• Friar’s Point by the Mississippi River (THE LAST OF MY SOLID GOLD WATCHES, SPRING STORM)
• Moon Lake (All of the Delta Plays)

5:00 PM Dinner & Dancing at the Moon Lake Casino | Uncle Henry’s Place, 5860 Moon Lake Road, Dundee, MS 38626

Friday, October 18, 2024
Overview: Scholar Talks all day — At Coahoma Community College (9 am to 12 noon) Then at Carnegie Public Library in downtown Clarksdale (1:30 PM to 5:30 PM)

9:15 AM Presentation I Tennessee Williams 101 By Augustin Correro (confirmed)

10:15 AM Presentation I History and Analysis of the play, Spring Storm By Thomas Keith (invited, depends on his schedule in the fall)

11:15 AM In Conversation with actors, Terrance Howard and Debbie Allen (Connecting) — Interviewed by Ralph Eubanks (confirmed)

2:00 PM Presentation I The Writing of Spring Storm By Karen Kohlhaas (confirmed)

3:00 PM Performance I Site Specific Scene from Spring Storm
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans

4:00 PM Book Talk I Searching for My Father, His First Wife, and Tennessee Williams Presented by author Melanie McCabe (confirmed)

6:00 PM In Conversation with actor, Austin Pendleton (confirmed)
Interviewed by Karen KohlhaasHome of Eva Connell, Ridge Road, Clarksdale

Saturday, October 19, 2024
Overview: Student Drama Competition and Porch Plays

9:00 AM Student Drama Competition | Produced by StoryWorks — Sponsored by Coahoma Community College
• A festival favorite, the Student Drama Competition highlights students from around the region who will perform monologues, scenes and Stella calls competing for the opportunity to win trophies and $2,500 in award money for their school programs.

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Woman’s Club & Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum Open to Visitors

2:30 pm Organ Concert at St. George’s Church with the Rev. Charlie Deaton

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Porch Plays in the Historic District

• 415 Court Street | 3:00 pm

• 203 Court Street | 3:30 pm

• 235 Clark Street | 4:00 pm

• 41 John Street | 4:00 pm Spring Storm Presented by The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans

6:00 PM After-Party – Possibly the Porch of the Clark House or the front lawn of the Cutrer Mansion

The Harvest Screening
2024-10-17 19:00 - 21:30 | University of Mississippi, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS, 38677, United States
The Harvest Film Screening
Join us for a screening of The Harvest, a captivating film that tells the story of how school integration transformed the town of Leland, Mississippi.
Date: October 17, 2024
Time: 7:00pm Film Screening Begins
Panel Discussion following the film

In The Harvest, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas A. Blackmon looks back at how school integration transformed his hometown of Leland, Mississippi. After the 1954 Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, little more than token efforts were made to desegregate Southern schools. That changed dramatically on October 29, 1969, when the high court ordered that Mississippi schools to fully — and immediately — desegregate. As a result, a group of children, including six-year-old Blackmon, became part of the first class of Black and white children who would attend all 12 grades together in Leland.
Set against vast historic and demographic changes unfolding across America, The Harvest follows a coalition of Black and white citizens working to create racially integrated public schools in a cotton town in the middle of the Mississippi Delta, the most rigidly segregated area in America. It tells the extraordinary story of how that first class became possible, then traces the lives of Blackmon and his classmates, teachers and parents from the first day through high school graduation in 1982. It is a riveting portrait of how those children’s lives were transformed and how the town — and America — were changed. But as the film follows the lives of those children into the present, it is also a portrait of what our society has lost in its failure to finish the work begun a generation ago.

Speaker Bureau: Robert Johnson at the Crossroads
2024-10-19 16:00 - 17:00 | The Magnolia Coffee Company, 428 N Main St, Water Valley, MS, 38965
In colorful costume, storytellers Rebecca Jernigan and Wendy Garrison retell the tale of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. With music, drama and sign language, they recount his fateful encounter with the Prince of Darkness at the crossroads in the Delta. In educational venues they stress that the audience is integral to any live performance. They discuss the historical person Robert Johnson, and they share the role of the blues as an indigenous musical genre that grew out of the challenges of life in the Mississippi delta.

The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi
2024-10-22 14:00 - 16:00 | Hinds Community College – Raymond Campus, 501 East Main Street, Raymond, 39154, United States
This talk traces the roots of the modern civil rights movement to World War II, a movement that began long before the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 and lasted long after Dr. King’s assassination in Memphis in 1968, a movement that in many ways never ended. Specifically, Dr. Luckett discusses the major people and events of the modern civil rights movement in Mississippi like Emmett Till; Medgar and Myrlie Evers; Ross Barnett; the Citizens’ Council and the Sovereignty Commission; the Freedom Rides; James Meredith and the 1962 integration of Ole Miss; the 1963 Woolworth’s sit-in; leading civil rights organizations like the Council of Federal Organizations, the Congress of Racial Equality, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the NAACP; 1964 Freedom Summer; Fannie Lou Hamer; the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party; Anne Moody and Coming of Age in Mississippi; the Meredith March against Fear; and many other topics in the field.

Panelist: Dr. Robert Luckett, Associate Professor, Department of History and
Director, Margaret Walker Center, Jackson State University.

"Brother to a Dragonfly" book discussion
2024-10-22 18:00 - 19:00 | University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg , MS - Mississippi, 39406
This project celebrates the life and work of Mississippi author and preacher Will D. Campbell in a celebration of his 100th birthday.
In Brother to a Dragonfly, Campbell writes about his life growing up poor in Amite County, Mississippi, during the 1930s alongside his older brother. The book serves as a historical account of Campbell’s life with his brother, his tenure as a Baptist preacher, and his involvement in the later stages of the Civil Rights movement.
The book discussion is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. in Cook Library, room 209A.

The Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister Symposium
2024-10-24 - 2024-10-25 | Hinds Community College-Vicksburg, 755 MS-27, Vicksburg, MS, 39180, United States
“Shaping the Cultural Environment…a Window on the World”: The Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister Symposium
The Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister House Foundation Board is hosting a public symposium on October 24–25, 2024, honoring the life and legacy of educator Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister (1899-1996). Hosted at Hinds Community College in Vicksburg, this symposium celebrates her commitment to “the life of the mind” and excellence within and beyond the college classroom. It displays the brilliance of Dr. McAllister’s pedagogical approaches in cultivating critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and academic excellence among her students. The two-day event also provides an informative and insightful overview of her life and work in higher education through keynote addresses and panels featuring scholars of education, schoolteachers, and her former students. Overall, the symposium captures the essence of Dr. McAllister as displayed in the documentary’s title, which honors her legacy—My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is (2023).
The symposium, “Shaping the Cultural Environment: A Window on the World,” begins on October 24, 2024, on what would have been her 125th birthday. It will examine the cultural impact of Dr. McAllister’s scholarly contributions, emphasizing her role in advancing the intellectual discourse on Black education and the broader implications of her work within academic and cultural spheres. The scholarly participants for the symposium will include scholars of Black education, teachers, and her former students, who will deliver keynote addresses and participate in panel sessions about her ideas and perspectives on Black education. They will explore how Dr. McAllister’s intellectual legacy continues to shape contemporary educational practices and philosophies, highlighting strategies for preserving and advancing her vision of academic excellence and social justice. The impact of her pioneering work continues today in “challenging minds and changing lives.”

Speakers Bureau: “Mississippi Telling”
2024-10-26 10:00 - 11:30 | O.B. McClinton Foundation grounds, 2106 Gravel Springs Rd., Senatobia, MS, 38668
Rebecca Jernigan 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 storyteller 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.
“Mississippi Telling” will be presented Oct 26, 2024 at the O.B. McClinton Foundation in Senatobia, MS
