Mississippi Humanities Council

From Douglass to Duck Hill, The Bridging of two America's
2025-07-05 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Fondren Presbyterian Church, 3220 Old Canton Rd, Jackson , MS , 39216
From Douglass to Duck Hill is a public-facing racial healing and remembrance event designed to engage Mississippians in a deeper understanding of the legacy of racial violence and the urgent need for historical reckoning. Timed strategically the day after Independence Day, this gathering anchors itself in Frederick Douglass’ iconic speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, and connects it to the 1937 lynching of Roosevelt “Red” Townes and Robert “Bootjack” McDaniels in Duck Hill, Mississippi—one of the most publicly documented lynchings in U.S. history.
Through a combination of virtual keynote addresses, live music, historical readings, documentary excerpts, and a sacred soil ceremony, the event seeks to educate, honor, and heal. It is part of a broader movement led by Mississippi2 to preserve suppressed Black histories, foster intergenerational dialogue, and build pathways to justice and community restoration.

Reading the Room
2025-07-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Organic Culture, 114 Main Street, McComb, MS
The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to partner with the Mississippi Book Festival and Organic Culture to present our next “Reading the Room” event.
If you love reading, socializing and any excuse to talk about books, then join us! Thursday, July 10th at 6:00 pm |Organic Culture | 114 Main St, McComb, MS 39648
bring any book you are currently reading
+
enjoy some time set aside to read on your own
+
talk books with your neighbors over drinks and snacks
+
celebrate Mississippi’s vibrant literary culture with us!

REGISTER HERE

The Small-Town Preservation Symposium in Eupora, MS
2025-07-12 10:00 - 15:00 | Eupora Civic Center, 2135 W Roane Ave, Eupora, MS, 39744, United States
The SouthWay Foundation host The Small-Town Preservation Symposium in Eupora, Mississippi bringing local, state, and nation-wide leaders to evoke discussions on the preservation movement, cultural heritage, and the value of sharing an inclusive history. The goal of this symposium is to expose an intergenerational and multi-racial audience, from across Mississippi, to the rich history, resilience, and healing fraught in preservation work and its craft, especially in small towns. In addition, it wants to spark imagination, rooted in history, of the complexity to represent places of memory with integrity.
10:15 am Panel Conversation on How to Do Preservation: Nakita Reed- (Host of Tangible Remnants podcast); Panelist- Belinda Stewart (Belinda Stewart Architects), Dr. Kwesi Daniels (Tuskegee University)
11:00 am Community Conversation Engagement and Q & A
11:45 am Catered Lunch
12:45 pm Panel Conversation on Preservation Trades with Jonn Hankins (President of New Orleans Master Crafts Guild (NOMCG) Inc), Dewayne Orr and Madison Hawkins, Ramsey Brothers, Paul Orr (Eupora VoTech)

SouthWay’s Small Town Preservation Symposium
Saturday, July 12, 2025: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Eupora Civic Center, 2135 W Roane Ave, Eupora, MS 39744

Reading the Room
2025-07-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Exploradora Coffee, 463 Ryland Wy, Oxford, MS, 38655, United States
The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to partner with the Mississippi Book Festival and The University of Mississippi Department of English to present our next “Reading the Room” event.
If you love reading, socializing and any excuse to talk about books, then join us!
Wednesday, July 23rd at 6:00 pm | Exploradora Coffee | 463 Ryland Way, Oxford, MS 38655
Bring any book you are currently reading + enjoy some time set aside to read on your own + talk books with your neighbors over drinks and snacks + celebrate Mississippi’s vibrant literary culture with us!

REGISTER HERE

Sunday Screening: "Talkin' Clarksdale: A Contemporary Blues Documentary"
2025-07-27 14:00 - 16:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Sunday Screening of Talkin’ Clarksdale: A Contemporary Blues Documentary
Join us for a screening of Talkin’ Clarksdale: A Contemporary Blues Documentary at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 27, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums. Directed by Tommy Slack, the sixty-minute film takes a look at contemporary blues music, exploring its influence on the voices of today’s musicians, venue owners, historians, and philanthropists dedicated to preserving its legacy. Following the screening, a panel discussion will take place with Slack and producer Demmette Guidry. For more information, call 601-576-6850.

Speakers Bureau: "Mississippi Telling"
2025-08-01 18:00 - 19:00 | Cambridge Methodist Church, 212 Ross Ave, Oxford, MS, 38655-4822, United States
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 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.

Possumtown Book Fest
2025-08-16 09:00 - 17:00 | Columbus Arts Council, Columbus , MS
The Possumtown Book Fest brings literary and humanities programming to the communities of Northeast Mississippi. Last year, nearly 1,000 people attended the inaugural festival, which featured 25 nationally published authors from across the South and 25 independent authors from the local area. All panels and activities are free and open to the public, and we host a free book giveaway for children while supplies last.
This year’s event will consist of eight literary panels throughout the day, free writing workshops, and a children’s program and local author showcase running concurrently during the morning.
The first panel is inspired by the books Choctaw Tales and Choctaw Traditions, which were recently published by the University Press of Mississippi. Co-editors Rae Nell Vaughn, Eddie Johnson, and Jay Wesley are scheduled to give a presentation about the history, culture, and folklore of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
The second panel will be a moderated conversation with Wright Thompson, author of The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi. A journalist by training, Thompson describes how historic forces created an environment that led to the racially motivated murder of Emmett Till in Money, Mississippi, and how the social order has stymied attempts for justice, change, and racial healing. The Barn is this year’s selection for our Community Read, a program organized by Fant Memorial Library at Mississippi University for Women and sponsored by Friendly City Books, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System, the City of Columbus, and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. The book fest is the kickoff of a year-long programming series engaging with The Barn, and we are collaborating with the Mississippi Humanities Council on program content.

Sunday Screening: The Last American House Party
2025-08-24 14:00 - 16:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Join us for a screening of The Last American House Party at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 24, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums. This sixty-minute film follows the Neshoba County Fair, an eight-day, 100-year-old tradition where families and communities come together for food and entertainment. Following the screening, a panel discussion will take place with director Bryan Carpenter and Brad Ogletree, whose family owns a cabin at the Neshoba County Fair and who appears in the film. The panel discussion will be moderated by Larry Morrissey of the Mississippi Arts Commission who has recorded oral histories of several cabin owners.
For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov

America250 Mississippi Grants Workshop
2025-09-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
Join the MHC program staff on Tuesday, September 2, from 2-3 p.m. for a Zoom webinar exploring America250 Mississippi grant opportunities. The webinar is free and open to all. Registration required.

After the webinar, participants may request a one-on-one consultation regarding programs or events they are planning.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/america250-mississippi-grants-workshop-tickets-1612716922729?aff=oddtdtcreator

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling of Fulton Chapel Marker
2025-09-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Fulton Chapel, University of Mississippi, Oxford, 617 All American Drive, University, MS, 38677, United States
The Fulton Chapel Protest was one of the most significant student-led demonstrations in our state’s history. In February 1970, Black students organized a protest demanding fair treatment, more representation, and institutional change. Eighty-nine students were arrested, but their courage sparked lasting progress at the university, pushing the school toward greater inclusion and accountability.

About the Mississippi Freedom Trail:
The Mississippi Freedom Trail pays tribute to Mississippi’s profound impact on the U.S. civil rights movement. The statewide initiative features over 40 markers commemorating the individuals, locations, and pivotal events that were instrumental in the struggle for civil rights. Administered by Visit Mississippi in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Mississippi Freedom Trail is supported by a State Tourism Grant from the US. Economic Development Administration.

For more information about the Mississippi Freedom Trail and to explore tourism offerings in Mississippi, visit visitmississippi.org.

Sunday Screening: Lynching in History and Memory
2025-09-07 14:00 - 17:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Join us for a screening of a series of short films, focused on racial violence and lynching, Bootjack and Red, My Father’s Name, and Sites of Memory at 2 p.m. Sunday, September 7, in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium. The films are collectively 60 minutes and will be followed by a panel conversation featuring filmmakers Talamieka Brice (Bootjack and Red), Susanna Styron and Connie Royster (My Father’s Name), and Antonio Tarrell (Sites of Memory). For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling of Dr. Clinton Battle Marker
2025-09-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Mt. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, 310 Church Ave, Indianola, MS, 38751, United States
Dr. Clinton Battle was a physician and civil rights leader in Indianola whose activism brought critical change to the Mississippi Delta. As president of the local NAACP chapter in the 1950s, Dr. Battle led voter registration drives, offering a beacon of hope and leadership in the Delta during a time of brutal repression. He also used his medical practice to support activists and the Black community, often at great personal and professional risk. The marker pays tribute to his courageous, multifaceted service and fearless work for justice during one of the most turbulent periods in state history.

About the Mississippi Freedom Trail:
The Mississippi Freedom Trail pays tribute to Mississippi’s profound impact on the U.S. civil rights movement. The statewide initiative features over 40 markers commemorating the individuals, locations, and pivotal events that were instrumental in the struggle for civil rights. Administered by Visit Mississippi in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Mississippi Freedom Trail is supported by a State Tourism Grant from the US. Economic Development Administration.

For more information about the Mississippi Freedom Trail and to explore tourism offerings in Mississippi, visit visitmississippi.org.

Mississippi Book Festival
2025-09-13 | Mississippi State Capitol, 400 High St, Jackson, MS, 39201, United States
Each year, the Mississippi Book Festival unites readers and authors in an exhilarating celebration of books.

MHC is proud to be a sponsor of the festival since it began. We will sponsor several panels, including a highlight of our prison education program.
The Capitol’s stately rooms and nearby Galloway Church turn into venues for distinguished panelists, the streets in between transform into a bustling marketplace for booksellers, and the grounds and Capitol Rotunda become a hub of lively exchange. FREE AND OPEN TO ALL, the festival brings the written word to fun, festive life with authors, panel discussions, book signings, family-friendly activities, food trucks, live music, and more!

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling of Anne Moody Marker
2025-09-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 8755 Hwy 24 East, Centreville, MS, 39631, United States
Anne Moody was a leading voice of the Civil Rights Movement through both her activist and her groundbreaking memoir Coming of Age in Mississippi. As a student at Tougaloo College, Moody participated in sit-ins, voter registration drives, and other efforts to dismantle segregation across the state. Her vivid account of growing up in the Jim Crow South gave the world an unflinching look at the realities of racial injustice and inspired generations to continue the fight for equality. The marker serves as a tribute to her enduring impact on the movement and beyond.

About the Mississippi Freedom Trail:
The Mississippi Freedom Trail pays tribute to Mississippi’s profound impact on the U.S. civil rights movement. The statewide initiative features over 40 markers commemorating the individuals, locations, and pivotal events that were instrumental in the struggle for civil rights. Administered by Visit Mississippi in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Mississippi Freedom Trail is supported by a State Tourism Grant from the US. Economic Development Administration.

For more information about the Mississippi Freedom Trail and to explore tourism offerings in Mississippi, visit visitmississippi.org.

Speakers Bureau: "Shalom Y'all: The History of Jews in Mississippi"
2025-09-16 18:30 - 19:30 | Anguilla Methodist Church, 631 Front St, Anguilla, MS, 38721, United States
Dr. Stuart Rockoff presents: “Shalom Y’all: The History of Jews in Mississippi”
In the early 19th century, Jewish immigrants from Europe began to arrive in the Magnolia State, settling initially in towns along the Mississippi River. Concentrating in retail trade, these Jews became visible symbols of economic modernity and market capitalism in Mississippi. Throughout much of their history, Mississippi Jews have worked to lessen the cultural differences between themselves and their neighbors. In recent decades, due to region-wide economic and demographic trends, the Jewish population of Mississippi has declined and become concentrated in the state’s population centers.

Remembering Emmett: From Silence to Social Change
2025-09-25 17:30 - 20:00 | Columbus Arts Council, Columbus , MS
“Remembering Emmett: From Silence to Social Change” is an exhibit by the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in support of the Community Read. This event is also supported by the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Water Valley Literary Festival
2025-09-27 09:00 - 17:00 | Bozarts Gallery, 403 N Main St, Water Valley, MS, 38965, United States
Save the date for our first annual Water Valley Literary festival, held at Bozarts Gallery.

Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Howze Sisters
2025-10-06 11:00 - 14:00 | The Howze Sisters’ Mississippi Freedom Trail Marker, 182 E. Eucutta St., Shubuta, MS, 39360, United States
Mississippi Freedom Trail Unveiling: The Howze Sisters
182 E. Eucutta St.,
Shubuta, MS

11 a.m.

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America250 Mississippi Grants Workshop
2025-10-07 14:00 - 15:00 | MS
Join the MHC program staff on Tuesday, October 7, from 2-3 p.m. for a Zoom webinar exploring America250 Mississippi grant opportunities. The webinar is free and open to all. Registration required.

After the webinar, participants may request a one-on-one consultation regarding programs or events they are planning.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/america250-mississippi-grants-workshop-tickets-1677292419779

Remembering Emmett: From Silence to Social Change
2025-10-09 11:00 - 17:00 | Woodworth Chapel @ Tougaloo College, 500 County Line Rd., Jackson, MS

Sunday Screening: The American Revolution
2025-10-12 14:00 - 17:00 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Are you a History Channel regular? Join us for a preview of the six-part series “The American Revolution: A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Two Mississippi Museums. Following the screening, Chris Pigott will share his experience working alongside Ken Burns and other filmmakers during its creation. This program is presented in partnership with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Mississippi Humanities Council, Mississippi Film Society, and Film Mississippi.
For more information, call 601-576-6850 or email info@mdah.ms.gov.

FREE Screening of “Sinners”
2025-10-15 18:30 - 21:00 | The MAX, 2118 Front St, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
Everyone’s talking about the hit film Sinners. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s your chance.
Set in Mississippi, sharing Mississippi stories and showcasing Mississippi talent, Sinners is the 2025 hit thriller that follows twin brothers in Clarksdale who’ve returned home to open a juke joint. The movie intertwines historical drama, social commentary, and horror with a Mississippi soundtrack that can’t be beat.
Join us at the historic Temple Theater for the Performing Arts (2320 8th St) for a free screening, then come to The MAX on Thursday, October 16, at 6:30 pm for a panel conversation.
Sinners is rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content, and language. Parental guidance is strongly suggested.
Presented in partnership with: Film Mississippi, Mississippi Film Society, Mississippi Humanities Council, and Downtown Meridian.

Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
2025-10-16 - 2025-10-18 | Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road, Clarksdale, MS, 38614, United States
A celebration of everything Tennessee Williams. As a child growing up in Clarksdale the seeds were planted that grew into people and places in his writing. From porch plays to scholarly discussions there is something for every Tennessee Williams fan.
Learn More

Let’s Talk About “Sinners!”
2025-10-16 18:30 - 21:00 | The MAX, 2118 Front St, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
Everyone who has seen the 2025 hit film Sinners wants to discuss it. Here’s your chance.
Set in Mississippi, sharing Mississippi stories and showcasing Mississippi talent, Sinners follows twin brothers in Clarksdale who’ve returned home to open a juke joint. The movie intertwines historical drama, social commentary, and horror with a Mississippi soundtrack that can’t be beat.
Following a free screening at the historic Temple Theater for the Performing Arts (2320 8th St) on Wednesday, October 15, come to The MAX on Thursday for a robust panel conversation featuring a filmmaker, scholar, blues musician, and community leaders from the Delta. The discussion will open up for dialogue with the audience towards the end.
Please RSVP and let us know you are coming to help us prepare.
Sinners is rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content, and language. Parental guidance is strongly suggested.
Presented in partnership with: Film Mississippi, Mississippi Film Society, Mississippi Humanities Council, and Downtown Meridian.

Mississippi Humanities Council Board Meeting
2025-10-17 10:30 - 17:00 | Mississippi Library Commission, 3881 Eastwood Dr, Jackson, MS, 39211, United States
The Mississippi Humanities Council will hold its regular board meeting at the Mississippi Library Commission tomorrow, Friday, October 17, at 11 a.m.

Spill the Tea: LGBTQ&A History and Experiences Panel
2025-10-17 17:00 - 18:30 | The Depot – Tupelo, 208 N. Front Street, Tupelo, MS, 38804, United States
Spill the Tea: LGBTQ&A History and Experiences Panel
The Depot | 208 N. Front Street
Tupelo, MS
5-6:30 p.m.
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Speakers Bureau: "The Mississippi Melting Pot"
2025-10-21 17:00 - 20:00 | Walthall County Library, 707 Union RD, Tylertown, MS, 39667-2261
Andrew Haley presents: “The Mississippi Melting Pot”

A brief history (from tamales to red beans and rice) of the various ethnic and racial culinary traditions that have shaped Mississippians’ diets.

Speakers Bureau: "Why We Call It Soul Food"
2025-10-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Holmes Community College – Ridgeland Campus, 412 W. Ridgeland Avenue, Ridgeland, MS, 39157
Dr. Brinda Fuller Willis presents: “Why We Call It Soul Food”
“Why We Call It Soul Food” tells the story of why southerners, especially African American southerners, call the foods we eat “soul food.” Dr. Willis discusses the emotional and physical aspects of soul food as it relates to our culture and history. She also discusses the bonds attached to the growing, nurturing and preparation of these foods as it relates to our culture and way of life in the South.

Speakers Bureau: "Mississippi Telling"
2025-10-28 15:00 - 18:30 | Community Market Oxford/Lafayette, 1801 University Ave, 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.

Speakers Bureau: "Developing Community Spaces: Storytelling, Stewardship, and the Soul of Place"
2025-10-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Mississippi Cultural Crossroads, 507 Market Street , Port Gibson , MS, 39150, United States
Kevin Brown presents: “Developing Community Spaces: Storytelling, Stewardship, and the Soul of Place”
In “Developing Community Spaces,” Kevin Brown explores how physical spaces—especially neglected lots, abandoned properties, and overlooked landmarks—can be transformed into powerful sites of memory, cultural identity, and civic healing. By honoring and acknowledging a community’s past, these forgotten sites can become reflections of historical pain and new hope.
Drawing from Kevin’s work creating Gertrude’s Garden in the historic Burglund District of McComb, Mississippi, this presentation offers insight into revitalizing historical spaces, engaging the community through oral histories, art, and public programs, and connecting with state-wide resources. “Developing Community Spaces” shares a living model of how the humanities can come alive through the land itself.
