Mississippi Humanities Council

From Delta Blues to Opera News: A Mississippi Musical Exposition
2021-02-28 08:00 - 2021-03-01 17:00 (America/Chicago) | MS
Two-day symposium demonstrating the historical contributions of select Mississippi artists and arts organizations to American music and opera from the past and present.

Crossroads @ Scooba: Rural Economic Development in Mississippi
2021-02-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
On February 22, East Mississippi Community College in Scooba will host Dr. Rachael Carter of the Mississippi State University Extension Services to present a free program on economic development in rural Mississippi. The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Scooba through March 12.
The program will take place on Zoom. Details for how to log onto the free Zoom program can be found on the EMCC website.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit will be on display in the Tubb-May Memorial Library on EMCC’s Scooba campus and is open to the public Mondays to Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-2pm, and Sundays 3pm-6pm. Crossroads is free to visit.
Upcoming Crossroads events in Scooba:
March 15, 4pm: “From the Fields to the Factory: The Great Migration of African Americans From the Fields of Mississippi to the Cities and Factories in the North” presentation, Dr. Brinda Willis

Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration: Southern Environments
2021-02-22 08:00 - 2021-02-27 17:00 | MS
Virtual conference exploring ecocriticism in southern studies and the influence our environments have on us through a humanities perspective. The week-long program will feature presentations and interactive workshops focused on nature writing, environmental justice, and nature as a character in fiction, film, and art.

MS+MA 3: Coast to Coast
2021-02-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
On February 18, the third “MS + MA: Crossing Borders/Connecting Stories” dialogue will take place in partnership with Mass Humanities.
MS+MA: Coast to Coast will explore our two state’s coastal connections from the perspectives of cultural institutions and local individuals from the fishing industry in both states. Panelists will reflect on how coastal areas are both literal and metaphorical connecting points for culture, language, economies, art, and more. The program will also share firsthand stories of members from local fishing communities in both states. MS + MA attendees will have the opportunity to take part in small group discussions about their own connections to the ocean and how our states’ coastal areas help us understand the environment around us.

Speakers will include Julian Rankin, executive director of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, MS, and individuals from fishing communities in both states. The program will be moderated by Laura Orleans, executive director of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center in New Bedford, MA.

Following the February 18 program, three additional programs will take place throughout Spring 2021.

Registration is required for the program and can be found here.

Crossroads @ Scooba: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies
2021-02-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
On February 15, East Mississippi Community College in Scooba will host Dr. John Green, state scholar for the Crossroads exhibit, to present his free program, “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi through Population Studies.” The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Scooba through March 12.
Many popular images of rural people and places present them as homogeneous in terms of demographic, social, and economic characteristics and trends. This may lead to oversimplification of rural areas and limited efforts to meet the needs and priorities of people living in these places. Achieving a better understanding of rural communities requires defining our concepts and identifying indicators of rural life in terms of continuity and change. Following an exploration of the terms “rural” and “non-metropolitan,” Dr. Green will share a series of graphical images and narratives about Mississippi’s rural people and places using population-level information, emphasizing what these “snapshots” of rural life tell us about Mississippi and how we might use them to form a “collage” that captures both the similarity and diversity.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit will be on display in the Tubb-May Memorial Library on EMCC’s Scooba campus and is open to the public Mondays to Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-2pm, and Sundays 3pm-6pm. Crossroads is free to visit.
Upcoming Crossroads events in Scooba:
February 20, 6pm: “Rural Economic Development” presentation, Dr. Rachael Carter
March 15, 4pm: “From the Fields to the Factory: The Great Migration of African Americans From the Fields of Mississippi to the Cities and Factories in the North” presentation, Dr. Brinda Willis

Music: A Universal Language
2021-02-11 08:00 - 17:00 | MS
New Hope Baptist Church’s annual Black history celebration. The 2021 event celebrates music as an instrument to connect people through all social, economic, and cultural barriers. More details TBA.

"Crossroads" Exhibit in Scooba
2021-02-08 08:00 - 2021-03-12 17:00 | Tubb-May Memorial Library, 1512 Kemper Street, Scooba, MS, 39358, United States
East Mississippi Community College will host Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, from February 8 through March 12. The exhibit will be on display in the Tubb-May Library on EMCC’s Scooba campus and is open to the public Mondays to Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-2pm, and Sundays 3pm-6pm.
Crossroads is a traveling exhibit offered by the Museum on Main Street division of the Smithsonian Institution. It consists of six free-standing display units incorporating photographs, text, and numerous interactive elements. Requiring a minimum of 750 sq. ft., the exhibit is designed for smaller venues to achieve Museum on Main Street’s goal of bringing the Smithsonian to small town America. The exhibit is free and open to the public to visit. The Mississippi tour of Crossroads is sponsored by a generous grant from Entergy Mississippi.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
In addition to hosting the exhibition, East Mississippi Community College will also host a series of programs that are free and open to the public.
Crossroads events in Scooba:
February 15, 6pm: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
February 20, 6pm: “Rural Economic Development” presentation, Dr. Rachael Carter
March 15, 4pm: “From the Fields to the Factory: The Great Migration of African Americans From the Fields of Mississippi to the Cities and Factories in the North” presentation, Dr. Brinda Willis

Oxford Film Festival: "I'm Not a Racist, Am I?" Screening and Community Talk
2021-02-01 18:00 - 20:00 | MS
Free screening of “I’m Not a Racist, Am I?” followed by a 60-90 minute workshop to further examine the context of the film and our own role in deconstructing race and confronting racism. For more information, visit https://www.oxfordfilmfest.com/

MS+MA: Inside/Out--The Lessons of Freedom Summer
2021-01-14 19:00 - 20:30 | MS
The second “MS + MA: Crossing Borders/Connecting Stories” dialogue will take place Jan. 14, 2021, and will be entitled, “Inside/Out—The Lessons of Freedom Summer,” where we will explore the connections between our two states during the Civil Rights Movement.
The January dialogue will feature veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, both from Mississippi and from Massachusetts, who will examine social justice activism as a grassroots movement and the impact outside activists have on local efforts. The agenda will include a facilitated conversation among the speakers, with small-group breakout sessions for audience participants from both Mississippi and Massachusetts to engage further. The MS+MA dialogues are interactive, take place on Zoom, and are free and open to the public.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/133022691451

Ideas on Tap: Polarized: Politics and News in a Divided America
2020-12-15 17:30 - 19:00 | MS
On December 15, join the Mississippi Humanities Council for a conversation on the polarization of American news and politics.

The program will address the U.S.’s increasing division over political beliefs, how news silos have affected how we determine truth and reality, and what to do to combat the current polarization. Panelists include Dr. Talia Stroud (Director, Center for Media Engagement and Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Texas at Austin), Dr. Marvin King (Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Mississippi), and Kayleigh Skinner (Managing Editor at Mississippi Today). MHC Executive Director Dr. Stuart Rockoff will moderate the program.

The program will be livestreamed directly to the MHC Facebook page, so come prepared to watch, listen, and ask questions in the chat.

This program is supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative, in partnership with the Federation of State Humanities Councils.

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: The History and Development of Mt. Olive
2020-12-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On December 12, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host Sandra Boyd, local archivist and librarian, to present her program “Mt. Olive: History & Development.” The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.

SB: Fault Lines: Living in Two Cultures
2020-12-07 12:00 - 13:00 | MS
Seetha Srinivasan, director emeritus of the University Press of Mississippi, discusses becoming a part of the American mainstream while retaining one’s ethnic (in this case Indian) identity and asks the following questions: Can it be done? To what extent? What are the challenges, frustrations, rewards? E-mail Peter Dean at the Ridgeland Public Library for information on how to attend.

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies
2020-12-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On December 5, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host Dr. John Green, state scholar for the Crossroads exhibit, to present his free program, “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi through Population Studies.” The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Many popular images of rural people and places present them as homogeneous in terms of demographic, social, and economic characteristics and trends. This may lead to oversimplification of rural areas and limited efforts to meet the needs and priorities of people living in these places. Achieving a better understanding of rural communities requires defining our concepts and identifying indicators of rural life in terms of continuity and change. Following an exploration of the terms “rural” and “non-metropolitan,” Dr. Green will share a series of graphical images and narratives about Mississippi’s rural people and places using population-level information, emphasizing what these “snapshots” of rural life tell us about Mississippi and how we might use them to form a “collage” that captures both the similarity and diversity.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

MS + MA: Crossing Borders/Connecting Stories
2020-12-03 18:00 - 19:30 | MS
The Mississippi Humanities Council and Mass Humanities announce a series of six interactive, online programs to facilitate conversation between our two states. We will be examining intersecting points in our histories, exploring our rich literary traditions, and engaging in cross-state dialogue. By reflecting on our states’ identities in relationship to each other, this series aims to build understanding and offer new perspectives. At a time when the pandemic has created a greater sense of isolation, we hope to forge connections.
This first conversation in the MS + MA series explores images and impressions of our two states, bringing curiosity to questions about how we view each other. Our two speakers, Mississippi author Ralph Eubanks and Massachusetts author Michael Gorra, will draw on the literary heritage of Mississippi and Massachusetts to offer reflections on how our greatest writers have informed and complicated our views of each other. Participants will also engage in conversations with residents from both states in small breakout groups, sharing and examining their own impressions of our two states and discussing what they learned from our two speakers.
Participation is free, but space is limited and registration is required.
Once you have registered, you will be sent a short survey in mid-November asking for your impressions of how you view Massachusetts and how you think residents in Massachusetts view Mississippi. In late November, you will also be sent two very short excerpts from works by a writer in each state that you can read ahead of time. The link to access the event online will be sent a few days before the event.

Community Conversations: War and Homecoming Across the Humanities
2020-12-01 | Oxford Lafayette Library, 401 Bramlett Blvd , Oxford, MS, 38655, United States
University of Mississippi students, under the guidance of faculty and staff, will lead community discussions on the the war and homecoming, based on humanities texts (Homer’s “Odyssey,” Maximilian Uriarte’s graphic novel “The White Donkey,” and short-form poetry by veterans of the Post 9/11 conflicts) in two North Mississippi public libraries. The program is particularly designed for veteran participants, but open to anyone interested, and is meant to help veterans contextualize and process their experiences of the relation between military life and “the home front” in a trans-historical context accessed through reading in the humanities

Community Library Mississippi Goes Virtual: Holiday Book Festival
2020-11-28 10:00 - 13:00 | MS
Community Library Mississippi hosts a virtual book festival including performances, marketplace, and a youth poetry competition. More information on the event and how to attend can be found on the event webpage.

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Hometown Makeover Screening
2020-11-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On November 28, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will present a free screening of the “Mt. Olive Hometown Makeover” video submitted to the HGTV “Hometown Makeover” contest conducted by Laurel, Mississippi HGTV hosts Erin and Ben Napier. The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
December 7, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive Area
2020-11-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On November 21, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host the Covington County Genealogical and Historical Society to present a program on Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive area. The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
November 28, 10am: “Hometown Makeover” screening
December 7, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Railroads in the Development of South Mississippi
2020-11-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On November 14, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host railroad historian Rev. David Price to present a program on the impact of railroads on development in south Mississippi. The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
November 21, 10am: “Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive Area” presentation, June Ellis and Nell Cobb
November 28, 10am: “Hometown Makeover” screening
December 7, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Impact of Rural Electrification
2020-11-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On November 7, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host Steve Bryant from Southern Pine Electric Power Association to discuss the impact of rural electrification on South Mississippi. The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
November 14, 10am: “Railroads in the Development of South Mississippi” presentation, Rev. David Price
November 21, 10am: “Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive Area” presentation, June Ellis and Nell Cobb
November 28, 10am: “Hometown Makeover” screening
December 7, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

Crossroads @ Mt. Olive: Traditional Fiddle Music of the Rural South
2020-10-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church, 501 Cotton Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
On October 31, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library in Mt. Olive will host Bill Rogers to present a program on traditional fuddle music of the rural South. The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Mt. Olive through December 12.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and is free to visit.
Future Crossroads Events in Mt. Olive:
November 7, 10am: “The Impact of Rural Electrification on South Mississippi” presentation, Steve Bryan
November 14, 10am: “Railroads in the Development of South Mississippi” presentation, Rev. David Price
November 21, 10am: “Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive Area” presentation, June Ellis and Nell Cobb
November 28, 10am: “Hometown Makeover” screening
December 7, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

"Crossroads" Exhibit in Mt. Olive
2020-10-30 10:00 - 2020-12-12 16:00 | Mt. Olive Volunteer Fire Department, 201 S 5th Street, Mt. Olive, MS, 39119, United States
The Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library will host Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, from October 30 through December 12. The exhibit will be on display in the Mt. Olive Volunteer Fire Department meeting room, located across the street from the library, and is open to the public Mondays-Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
Crossroads is a traveling exhibit offered by the Museum on Main Street division of the Smithsonian Institution. It consists of six free-standing display units incorporating photographs, text, and numerous interactive elements. Requiring a minimum of 750 sq. ft., the exhibit is designed for smaller venues to achieve Museum on Main Street’s goal of bringing the Smithsonian to small town America. The exhibit is free and open to the public to visit. The Mississippi tour of Crossroads is sponsored by a generous grant from Entergy Mississippi.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
In addition to hosting the exhibit, the Jane Blain Brewer Memorial Library will also host a series of programs that are free and open to the public.
Crossroads events in Mt. Olive:
October 31, 10am: Traditional Fiddle Music of the Rural South presentation, Bill Rogers
November 7, 10am: “The Impact of Rural Electrification on South Mississippi” presentation, Steve Bryan
November 14, 10am: “Railroads in the Development of South Mississippi” presentation, Rev. David Price
November 21, 10am: “Centennial Farms in the Mt. Olive Area” presentation, June Ellis and Nell Cobb
November 28, 10am: “Hometown Makeover” screening
December 5, 10am: “From Snapshots to a Collage: Exploring Rural Mississippi Through Population Studies” presentation, Dr. John Green
December 12, 10am: “Mt. Olive: History and Development” presentation, Sandra Boyd

Anne and Emmett
2020-10-24 08:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
A virtual discussion of Anne and Emmett with playwright Janet Langhart Cohen following a streamed performance. Anne and Emmett explores and imaginary conversation between Anne Frank, a German-Dutch Jew and Emmett Till, an African American. The play takes place in memory, a non-specific alternate dimension.

Crossroads @ Senatobia: Andy Ratliff Bluegrass Concert
2020-10-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Northwest Mississippi Community College Learning Resource Center, 4975 Highway 51 N, Senatobia, MS, 38668, United States
On October 20, the Learning Resource Center at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia will host musicians Andy Ratliff and Eric Lewis to present a free bluegrass concert.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Thursdays from 8am to 9pm, Fridays from 8am-3:30pm, and Sundays 2-7pm.

Crossroads @ Senatobia: Cultural Appropriation at the Crossroads
2020-10-16 11:00 - 12:30 | Northwest Mississippi Community College, 4975 Hwy 51 N, Senatobia, 38668
On October 16, the Learning Resource Center at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia will host Northwest English instructor Leelee Haraway to present her program “Cultural Appropriation at the Crossroads: A Discussion Informed by the Art of Eudora Welty, Alice Walker, Jessie Mae Hemphill, and Son House.” The free program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Senatobia through October 22. The event will take place in person in Tate Hall Room 106, but seating is limited.
Haraway’s presentation will draw on a variety of texts, including short fiction by Eudora Welty and Alice Walker, as well as selected songs from Jessie Mae Hemphill and Son House, to explore the relationship between rural and urban art and the potential for revitalization that exists in the artistic traditions of the rural South.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Thursdays from 8am to 9pm, Fridays from 8am-3:30pm, and Sundays 2-7pm.
Future Crossroads Events in Senatobia:
October 20, 7pm: Bluegrass concert featuring local musician Andy Ratliff

2020 Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
2020-10-15 08:00 - 2020-10-17 20:00 | Clarksdale Historic Downtown District
The 28th annual Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival seeks to build on a mission of presenting programs on the life and works of Tennessee Williams in the context of Clarksdale and Coahoma County. The 2020 festival will focus on a large scale production of Williams’ Summer and Smoke, as well as increased educational outreach and engagement with artists and scholars.

Mississippi Hispanic Heritage Month & Indigenous People's Day: A Night of Art and Storytelling
2020-10-13 08:00 - 17:00 | Mississippi Museum of Art, 380 South Lamar Street, Jackson, MS, 39201
There are three components to our project: a short film, a panel discussion, and an art exhibit. On October 13, the MS Museum of Art will premier a short film, host a panel discussion, and unveil an art exhibit comprised of photographs. The film will be presented in person and online via Zoom and Facebook Live followed by the panel discussion. The panel will be composed of Lorena Quiroz, Noel Didla, Ingrid Cruz, and immigrant community members who were impacted by the August 7, 2019, immigration raids. The purpose of the panel is to discuss lived experiences, the rapid response of MS organizers to the August 7, 2019, raids, and the future for immigrant
communities in Mississippi and immigrant justice in Mississippi. Questions from the audience and public will be answered. Following the panel discussion, the art exhibit will be unveiled and open to explore. This event is free and open to the public and takes into consideration accessibility (interpretation, online participation, etc.) and COVID-19.

Crossroads @ Senatobia: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter Book Discussion
2020-10-06 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual
On October 6 at 2pm, the Learning Resource Center at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia will host a virtual book discussion of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter featuring the book’s author Tom Franklin. The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Senatobia through October 22.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Thursdays from 8am to 9pm, Fridays from 8am-3:30pm, and Sundays 2-7pm.
Future Crossroads events in Senatobia:
October 16, 11am: “Cultural Appropriation at the Crossroads” lecture
October 20, 7pm: Bluegrass concert featuring local musician Andy Ratliff

Crossroads @ Senatobia: Mississippi Foodways
2020-09-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Northwest Mississippi Community College Learning Resource Center, 4975 Highway 51 N, Senatobia, MS, 38668, United States
On September 29, the Learning Resource Center at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia will host MHC Speakers Bureau member Malcolm White to present his free program “Mississippi Foodways.” The program will take place in conjunction with the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, on display in Senatobia through October 22.
This presentation offers observations by a longtime connoisseur of Southern food and culture on topics ranging from the history of Comeback Dressing to how the tamale came to Mississippi to the evolution of dining out in Mississippi.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
The exhibit is open to the public Mondays-Thursdays from 8am to 9pm, Fridays from 8am-3:30pm, and Sundays 2-7pm.
Future Crossroads events in Senatobia:
October 6, 2pm: Virtual book discussion, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
October 16, 11am: “Cultural Appropriation at the Crossroads” lecture
October 20, 7pm: Bluegrass concert featuring local musician Andy Ratliff

Ideas on Tap: Don't Tread On...Us? Individual Rights and the Common Good
2020-09-29 17:30 - 18:45 | MS
On September 29, join the Mississippi Humanities Council for a conversation on individual rights and the common good in the COVID-19 era.
The program will address how individual rights and the common good can–or can’t–co-exist during a global pandemic, and how COVID might further divide private and public interests. Panelists include Cassandra Welchlin, lead organizer of the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable; Dr. Patrick Hopkins, professor of philosophy at Millsaps College and faculty member at the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at UMMC; and Russ Latino, Senior Vice President for Empower Mississippi. MHC program officer Caroline Gillespie will moderate.
The event will be livestreamed to the MHC’s Facebook page.
