Mississippi Humanities Council

America250 Mississippi - Lucedale’s 125th Birthday & America’s 250th!
2026-05-09 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Lucedale City Park, 5126 Main St, Lucedale, MS, 39452, United States
Celebrate Lucedale’s 125th Birthday & America’s 250th! Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Lucedale, MS
Join us for a once-in-a-generation celebration as we honor 125 years of the City of Lucedale and the 250th anniversary of the United States with a full afternoon of history, community, and family fun!
Pilgrimage & Living History Experience (2–5 PM)Step back in time and explore 9 historic sites across Lucedale:
George County MuseumScratching Post on Main StreetGeorge County CourthouseWar Memorial (City Park)Lucedale City HallOld Jail (City Park)George County TimesCounty Line School (City Park)Oak Grove School / Lily Grove Church & School
Pick up your FREE Pilgrimage Passport, visit each location, learn local history, and collect stickers along the way. Complete your passport to receive a commemorative prize!
You’ll enjoy live historical storytelling and presentations at each stop. The city bus will be available to shuttle attendees from the park and downtown to the Oak Grove School and Lily Grove Church.
Family Day in the Park (2–5 PM | City Park)Bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun!
Live music & performances Awards for MS250 & Lucedale 125 student contests Patriotic “Chalk the Walk” Art Contest Free activities for all ages
Oral History Documentary PremiereExperience Lucedale’s story through the voices of its people.
Indoor Screenings (2–5 PM): George County Museum & City Hall
Outdoor Premiere (8:00 PM): Stage next to Domino’s
Featuring 30+ local voices and narrated by historian Nancy-Jo Maples, this documentary captures the history, growth, and spirit of Lucedale and George County. This video is sponsored by Century Bank.
This official America250 project was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the State of Mississippi

America250 Mississippi - All Aboard America: Then, Now, Next in Amory
2026-05-12 16:00 - 18:00 | Amory Regional Museum, 801 3rd St S, Amory, MS, 38821, United States
The community is invited to take part in a historic celebration on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Amory Regional Museum as Amory kicks off three major milestones: the 250th anniversary of the United States, the 100th anniversary of the Frisco 1529 steam locomotive, and the 50th anniversary of the Amory Regional Museum.
This special event will feature a Living Wax Museum presented by local students portraying figures who helped shape Amory’s railroad heritage and civic history. The evening will also include a student art show, essay contest recognition, and a patriotic concert celebrating American music and tradition.
Community members of all ages are invited to participate in the art and essay contests. Selected artwork and essays will be preserved inside Amory’s official 100-Year Time Capsule, which will be sealed during the July 4, 2026, celebration.
This initiative is made possible in part through support from the Mississippi250 Grant Program, which encourages communities across the state to explore and celebrate Mississippi’s role in the American story.
The event is free and open to the public. Those interested in submitting artwork or essays can scan the QR code on promotional materials to learn how to participate.
Join us as we honor our past, celebrate our present, and inspire the future of Amory.

America250 Mississippi - America250 Lunch Lecture Series - Quilting Circle
2026-05-13 11:00 - 13:00 | Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, 1150 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS, 39216, United States
Join our education team throughout the year for our America 250 Quilting Circle. We welcome all ages and skill levels to help make this quilt one for the collection. We will be hosting the Quilting Circle the second Wednesday of every month from 11 AM – 1 PM in the Learning Center.

America250 Mississippi - Liberty & Legacy: Byhalia 250 - Session 1
2026-05-13 15:00 - 16:30 | Ruth B. French Library, 161 Highway 309 South, Byhalia, MS, 38611, United States
Here’s the schedule for submitting materials and writing letters:

Session 1: Wednesday, 13 May, 3-4:30PM at Ruth B. French Library
Session 2: Thursday, 21 May, 5:30-7PM at Byhalia MS Town Hall
Session 3: Wednesday, 27 May, 3-4:30PM at Ruth B. French Library

What will you leave behind?

Grant information: “This project was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material does not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Mississippi Freedom Trail - Benjamin Brown
2026-05-14 16:00 - 18:00 | Jackson State University, 1400 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, 39217
The Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi will unveil a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker honoring Benjamin Brown on Thursday, May 14, at 4 p.m. as part of the 56th annual Gibbs-Green Commemoration on the Gibbs-Green Plaza at Jackson State University.

This marker honors Benjamin Brown, a former civil rights organizer, who was watching a student protest from the sidelines when he was hit by stray gunshots from police who fired into the crowd.

This unveiling is part of the 56th annual Gibbs-Green Commemoration and is made possible through a partnership with Visit Mississippi, the Mississippi Humanities Council, and Jackson State University. Community members and media are encouraged to attend.

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

America250 Mississippi - Story to Stage: America250
2026-05-15 - 2026-08-15 | Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian, 403 22nd Avenue, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
SUMMER EXHIBIT
Open May 15 – August 15
Story to Stage is open this summer at the Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian! Designed to inspire young learners through storytelling, history, and interactive exploration, the exhibit celebrates America’s 250th birthday while engaging children and families in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. Discover the American themes of bravery, freedom, home, citizenship, and generosity and perform American stories in new ways on stage!
The museum will be closed on May 25.

Free for Members | $10/Person for Non-Members
Tickets Available Online or At the Door
Access to Summer Exhibit is included in General Admission Ticket

Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Utica
2026-05-16 - 2026-06-27 | Utica Institute Museum, 34175 MS-18,, Utica, MS, 39175, United States
Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Utica

Join MHC in Utica for the Spark! Places of Innovation tour of Mississippi!
May 16-June 27, 2026
Utica Institute Museum at Hinds Community College Utica Campus
601-885-7110 | uticainstitute.org
Exhibit hours:
Across 2026-2027, the Mississippi Humanities Council presents Spark! Places of Innovation, a Smithsonian traveling exhibit touring Utica, Meridian, Greenville, Oxford, Hattiesburg, and Gulfport. Special thanks to our statewide sponsor, Cadence Bank, for making this possible!
ABOUT SPARK!:
The story of human history is written in inventions and innovations. Across our nation. And right here in Mississippi. Join us in 2026-2027 to catch a new Smithsonian traveling exhibit touring the state…and spark some new ideas of your own.
Spark! uses photographs, digital stories, objects, and interactive elements to explore the places, people, and circumstances that ignite innovation and invention in rural communities across our nation. The exhibit also offers a springboard for diverse local programming, spotlighting the stories, ideas, and innovations of Mississippians — and a call to contribute to the future of the towns we call home.

Everlasting Screening - Vicksburg
2026-05-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Strand Theatre, 717 Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS, 39183
Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers will be screening at the Strand Theatre thanks to a partnership between Mississippi Public Broadcasting, the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, and the Mississippi Humanities Council. This original documentary from MPB explores the profound life, courage, and enduring influence of civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers.

The screening is free and open to the public and will be followed by a panel discussion on Evers’ legacy.

Saturday, May 16, 5:30 p.m. – The Strand Theatre, Vicksburg

WITNESS Community Meeting - Jackson
2026-05-18 11:00 - 13:00 | Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center, 528 Bloom St., Jackson, MS, 39202

WITNESS Community Meeting - Drew
2026-05-19 17:30 - 19:30 | 167 N Main St, Drew, 167 N Main St, Drew, MS, 38737, United States

Speakers Bureau: "Natchez in the Early American Economy"
2026-05-21 11:30 - 13:30 | Winston County Library, 301 W Park St, Louisville, MS, 39339, United States
Dr. Susan Gaunt Stearns presents “Natchez in the Early American Economy”
Dr. Susan Gaunt Stearns is an associate professor of history at the University of Mississippi. She currently teaches courses on US history, the history of the colonial and Revolutionary era America, the history of Mississippi, as well as graduate courses on historical methods and teaching history. Her research focuses on western expansion and its relationship to the creation of the United States and the development of the American and global economies. Her book, Empire of Commerce: The Closing of the Mississippi and the Opening of Atlantic Trade, received Southern Methodist University’s Center for Presidential History’s book prize for 2024. She is currently working on a book examining the history of Memphis from pre-history to the American Revolution.

WITNESS Community Meeting - Moss Point
2026-05-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Ina Thompson Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview Ave., Moss Point, MS, 39562, United States

America250 Mississippi - Liberty & Legacy: Byhalia 250 - Session 2
2026-05-21 17:30 - 19:00 | Byhalia Town Hall, 225 MS-309, Byhalia, MS, 38611, United States

America250 Mississippi - Spark! at Utica Opening Celebration
2026-05-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Utica Institute Museum, 34175 MS-18,, Utica, MS, 39175, United States
Spark! is a Smithsonian exhibit focusing on innovations in rural communities. In our grand opening celebration, you’ll hear from Utica Mayor Calvin Williams, along with the co-founders of the Utica-based Mississippi Center for Cultural Production, Carlton and Brandi Turner. Carlton and Brandi will discuss their work in the town and the ways in which the arts and humanities inform life in a small town. After the talk, tour the Spark exhibit! All events will take place in the Bobby G. Cooper Fine Arts Center on the Hinds Community College-Utica campus.

WITNESS Community Meeting - McComb
2026-05-22 12:00 - 14:00 | McComb Public Library, 1022 Virginia Avenue, McComb, MS, 39648, United States

America250 Mississippi - A Memorial Day Commemoration in Recognition of America's 250th Anniversary
2026-05-25 10:00 - 17:00 | 1 John M.B. Church, I John M.B. Church, Doddsville, MS, 38736, United States

America250 Mississippi - Mantee History & Heritage Museum Grand Opening
2026-05-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Mantee Depot, 67 First Street, Mantee, MS, 39751, United States
Join us for the Mantee History & Heritage Museum grand opening! Monday, May 25 at 11:00 AM at the Mantee Depot (67 First Street). The updates to the museum are thanks to donations of military veterans memorabilia from community members and an America250 grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council.

America250 Mississippi - Liberty & Legacy: Byhalia 250 - Session 3
2026-05-27 15:00 - 16:30 | Ruth B. French Library, 161 Highway 309 South, Byhalia, MS, 38611, United States

Natchez Screening – McComb
2026-05-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Palace Theatre, 111 Main St, McComb, MS, 39648, United States
Join us for a free event featuring a screening of Natchez at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28, in the Palace Theater in McComb. This 86-minute documentary journeys through an antebellum tourist destination at a crossroads as it grapples with a deeply troubled history.
The program will include a post-screening panel featuring local scholars, community voices, individuals from the film, and, at most sites, the filmmakers themselves. For more information, visit mshumanities.org/program/screenings.
Other MHC-sponsored screenings of Natchez include:

April 11, 7 p.m. at the Strand Theatre, Vicksburg
April 12, 2 p.m. at the Two Mississippi Museums, Jackson
April 14, 5:30 p.m. at the MUW Fant Library, Columbus
April 20, 5:30 p.m. at The Apothecary, Holly Springs
May 28, 6 p.m. at the Palace Theater, McComb
May 29, 6 p.m. at the Delta Arts Alliance, Cleveland

Natchez Screening – Cleveland
2026-05-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Delta Arts Alliance, 104 S. Court Street, Cleveland, MS, 38732
Join us for a free event featuring a screening of Natchez at 2 p.m. Friday, May 29, at the Delta Arts Alliance in Cleveland. This 86-minute documentary journeys through an antebellum tourist destination at a crossroads as it grapples with a deeply troubled history.
The program will include a post-screening panel featuring local scholars, community voices, individuals from the film, and, at most sites, the filmmakers themselves. For more information, visit mshumanities.org/program/screenings.
Other MHC-sponsored screenings of Natchez include:

April 11, 7 p.m. at the Strand Theatre, Vicksburg
April 12, 2 p.m. at the Two Mississippi Museums, Jackson
April 14, 5:30 p.m. at the MUW Fant Library, Columbus
April 20, 5:30 p.m. at The Apothecary, Holly Springs
May 28, 6 p.m. at the Palace Theater, McComb
May 29, 6 p.m. at the Delta Arts Alliance, Cleveland

Speakers Bureau: "Learning Mississippi History Through Historical Markers"
2026-06-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center, 200 North Huntington, Kosciusko, MS, 39090, United States
William “Brother” Rogers presents “Learning Mississippi History Through Historical Markers.”
From traditional green historical markers to the Mississippi Blues Trail, Freedom Trail, Country Music Trail, and Mississippi Mound Trail, the state’s history is told along its roads. The speaker takes a fun romp through history that will interest anyone who likes fascinating trivia about the state.

Clarksdale Culture Capital: The Return
2026-06-05 - 2026-06-07 | 164 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614, 164 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale, MS, 38614, United States
Friday, June 5, 2026
Friday belongs to the story with the Aint Film Festival. Before the music, before the feast, before the river – we start where it all begins: the screen. Tonight is about seeing ourselves told by ourselves, in a place that has been the source of so much of the world’s culture. Welcome to Clarksdale. Welcome home.
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Saturday is the heartbeat of The Return. Every street is a stage. Every conversation is building something. From a morning sound bathe on the river to live podcasts, barbershop talks, artist demos, a curated dinner, and a late-night DJ set — this is what it looks like when a community celebrates itself.
Sunday, June 7, 2026
The Sunflower River runs through this town. Sam Cooke was born on its banks. Come to the water. Arrive with intention. A change is gonna come.
A sound bathe opens the morning. Choir rises. Elders and the Clarksdale community speak. Then we take to the water — together in canoes and kayaks.

Speakers Bureau: "Music of the War Between the States, 1861 to 1865"
2026-06-06 09:00 - 11:00 | Mississippi Final Stands Interpretive Center, 607 Grisham St, Baldwyn, MS, 38824-8541, United States
William Arinder presents “Music of the War Between the States, 1861 to 1865.”
Music of this period played on the Appalachian Mountain dulcimer, banjo-mier and wooden spoons. Period clothing worn. Audience may help play the spoons.

America250 Mississippi - America 250: Celebrate in Stone
2026-06-06 10:00 - 18:00 | Blaylock Park, 100 3rd St S,, Wiggins, MS, 39577, United States
The Stone County Friends of the Libraries will commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday with “America 250: Celebrate in Stone” on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. in Blaylock Park in Wiggins.Because the event falls on the anniversary ofthe Normandy landings, the day will also include a brief D-Day remembrance ceremony with historical readings, a moment of silence and recognition of local veterans.The event will also feature educational programming like historic readings, a 1976 pop-up display, student art and essay contests, a community story booth, a community celebration to open a 1976 time capsule, and more family-friendly activities!The program will honor service and sacrifice while celebrating 250 years of American history and the community’s shared story.This event has been made possible by Friends of the Stone County Libraries, the City of Wiggins, Stone County, the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Golden Gals, and the Pine Forest Regional Library System.**Stay late and join the Pine Hill Social after the time capsule is opened**

America250 Mississippi – Mississippi250
2026-06-07 18:00 - 20:00 | The Grove Stage, University of Mississippi, 49 University Ave, University, MS, 38677, United States
The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council will expand its annual June Summer Sunset Concert Series with a special July 4th celebration in Oxford in 2026. The project blends live concerts highlighting Mississippi’s musical traditions with historian-curated readings and writing prompts on democracy, plus short documentary films exploring how Mississippi’s culture shapes the arts. Designed as a free, multimedia program, it aims to celebrate the state’s musical and democratic heritage, foster community reflection, and engage diverse audiences across generations.
The series will highlight a different element of Mississippi’s musical legacy each week—blues, gospel, country, rock and roll, and other traditions—while pairing each concert with a community writing prompt curated from historical writings on democracy. A historian will be engaged to compile a list of significant texts and excerpts related to democracy in America, with particular emphasis on Mississippi’s history and culture. This curated collection will then be adapted into age-appropriate reading lists and reflection questions, ensuring accessibility for both students and adults.
Dates:

Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.
Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.
Sunday, June 21, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.
Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.
Saturday, July 4, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.

Film Screening and Discussion | Love is a Sensation
2026-06-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, 565 N. Fifth Avenue, Laurel, MS, 39440
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art is pleased to host a special screening of ‘Love Is a Sensation’, a documentary created in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The film lovingly documents the life, creativity, and passions of the self-described “unusual artist,” L.V. Hull, whose remarkable artistic legacy continues to inspire audiences across the region and beyond.
Following the screening, guests are invited to stay for a discussion featuring filmmaker Yaphet Smith.

Screening of BEYOND
2026-06-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Capri Theatre, 3023 N State St,, Jackson, 39216, United States
The Mississippi Film Society, in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, is pleased to invite you to a special free screening of BEYOND on Tuesday, June 9th, at 7 pm, at the Capri Theatre in Fondren. Before the screening, Big House Books will set up in the lobby to give out swag and accept donations. Please come out to support this important film and Big House Books!

Check out the trailer.

Tickets are limited, so reserve yours today!

Speakers Bureau: “The Marquis de Lafayette Visits Mississippi"
2026-06-10 11:30 - 13:30 | Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library, 900 Goodyear Blvd, Picayune, 39466, United States
William “Brother” Rogers presents “The Marquis de Lafayette Visits Mississippi”
In 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Natchez on his farewell tour of America. Learn more about who he was and why this historic event was significant.

Speakers Bureau: “Spanish Dons in Colonial Mississippi: The Spanish roots of Mississippi’s Cotton Kingdom"
2026-06-13 12:00 - 14:00 | Carriage House, 401 High St, Natchez, MS, 39120, United States
Christian Pinnen presents “Spanish Dons in Colonial Mississippi: The Spanish roots of Mississippi’s Cotton Kingdom.”
Spain has a short, but important part in Mississippi’s history. Between 1779 and 1798, Spanish administrators sought to wrangle profits and people in small outpost, most prominently Natchez, along the Mississippi River. Enforcing Spanish laws and customs in a polyglot and largely Anglo-American population proved treacherous and created economic and social dynamics that gave rise to more than one chaotic episode as people tried to gain influence and power along the Mississippi.

Everlasting Screening – Meridian
2026-06-13 17:00 - 19:00 | The MAX, 2118 Front St, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers will be screening at The MAX – The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience thanks to a partnership between Mississippi Public Broadcasting, the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, and the Mississippi Humanities Council. This original documentary from MPB explores the profound life, courage, and enduring influence of civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers.
The screening is free and open to the public and will be followed by a panel discussion on Evers’ legacy.
Saturday, June 13, 5 p.m. – The MAX – The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience
