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

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

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

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

Read & Rise
2026-03-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-28 09:00 - 12:00 | Katrina’s Klassroom, 1952 Simpson Hwy 149, Mendenhall, 39114, United States
Read & Rise is a family literacy program that brings children and parents together through shared reading, culturally relevant books, including works by Mississippi authors, parent workshops, and creative activities. Each session features community reading circles, guided literacy activities, strategies for supporting reading at home, and free book distribution to help families build home libraries. By engaging families in storytelling and reflection, Read & Rise promotes both literacy skills and a deeper understanding of human experiences and community values.

America250 Mississippi - GRAMMY Museum Mississippi Celebrates 10 Years
2026-03-07 11:00 - 14:00 | GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, 800 West Sunflower Rd, Cleveland , MS, 38732, United States
Saturday, March 7:
11 AM Opening Ceremony Celebrating the last 10 Years of Grammy Museum Mississippi
12 PM Roots Music Festival that will feature performances by Bobby Rush, Cedric Burnside, Boo Mitchell, Terrance and Marcella Simien, Hi Rhythm, Southern Avenue, Carla Thomas, and Ol’ Skool Revue along with original Grammy Museum Mississippi Summer Campers, Abee Hudson and band members of Levee Side, performing.
12 pm – 2 pm Kids’ Zone activities and family-friendly programming
As the birthplace of America’s music, Mississippi’s cultural legacy will be highlighted throughout the weekend, aligning with the broader America250 commemoration. Grammy Museum Mississippi is thankful for the support of the Mississippi Humanities Council and the Mississippi Arts Commission, whose partnership helps make this programming possible.
Food Trucks will be on site with food for purchase.

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

America250 Mississippi Program Grant Deadline
2026-03-15 | Virtual
As Mississippi prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, the America250 Mississippi Grants Program invites communities across the state to take part in this historic commemoration. Established by the America250 Mississippi Commission, this program aims to empower local organizations to honor their unique histories, foster a deeper understanding of Mississippi’s vital role in the American story, and inspire meaningful engagement with our shared heritage. By supporting public events and initiatives during the America250 semiquincentennial, the program seeks to create lasting legacies that will help future generations of Mississippians appreciate and celebrate the rich and diverse tapestry of our state’s past. All funded projects and programs must occur during 2026.

Program Grants – up to $10,000 to support local celebrations of the semiquincentennial and public programs that explore the themes of Mississippi250. Deadline: March 15.

Full details and application portal are available on our website.

HTA Lecture: “The Culture of Tone”
2026-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 | East Central Community College, 275 W Broad Street, Decatur, MS, 39327
Chandler Smith will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for East Central Community College titled “The Culture of Tone.”
The lecture will take place on the East Central Community College campus on March 17, 2026, at 2 p.m.

Speakers Bureau: "The Bride of Annandale, A Love Story of the Old South"
2026-03-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Anguilla Methodist Church, 631 Front St, Anguilla, MS, 38721, United States
Grady Howell presents “The Bride of Annandale, A Love Story of the Old South”
The Bride of Annandale is a fully researched nonfiction narrative detailing the tragic romance of Henry Gray Vick, a descendant of the founders of Vicksburg, and Helen Johnstone of Annandale Plantation and Chapel of the Cross fame. Henry was killed in a duel a week before their wedding. This is their story.

HTA Lecture: “Why I Chose the Dark Side of Literature"
2026-03-18 12:00 - 14:00 | Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road, Clarksdale, MS, 38614, United States
Melissa Faulkner will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Coahoma Community College titled “Why I Chose the Dark Side of Literature.”
The lecture will take place on the Coahoma Community College campus on March 18, 2026, at noon.

HTA Lecture: “HaPPPiness,: Pedagogy, Pageantry, and Prison”
2026-03-18 12:30 - 14:30 | Hinds Community College – Raymond Campus, 501 East Main Street, Raymond, 39154, United States
Virginia Miller-Durr will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Hinds Community College titled “HaPPPiness,: Pedagogy, Pageantry, and Prison.”
From first-generation college learners and incarcerated students to communities and lives hungry for belonging and hope, the humanities cannot simply be explained; they must be lived through action in every stage in life. At a time when humanities programs are questioned, “HaPPPPPPiness” is a talk that exemplifies how they save, steady, and shape lives through Pedagogy, Prison, Place, People, Purpose, Promise, not PERFECTION.
The lecture will take place on Hinds Community College’s Raymond campus on March 18, 2026, at 12:45 p.m.

L.V. Hull: Love Is a Sensation
2026-03-20 - 2026-06-14 | Mississippi Museum of Art, 380 South Lamar Street, Jackson, MS, 39201
L.V. Hull: Love Is a Sensation
March 20 – June 14, 2026
At the Mississippi Museum of Art

L.V. Hull: Love Is a Sensation is the first major museum exhibition devoted to the art and life of the self-proclaimed “Unusual Artist” Ms. L.V. Hull (1942–2008). Born in McAdams, Mississippi, Hull merged artmaking and the Southern art of “visiting” to craft a creative practice that allowed her to commune with her inner spirit, her Creator, her community, and visitors from around the state, region, and world. Using found objects and paint and glue from Walmart, Hull produced a vibrant, immersive, and evolving art environment at her home of 34 years in the small town of Kosciusko, Mississippi. She adorned every surface and corner of her house, front porch, and garden with carefully arranged assemblages of everyday objects and signs, often painted with her signature dot pattern.
Love Is a Sensation will celebrate Hull’s legacy through selections from her vast creative output, documentation of her home/studio environment, ephemera from her personal archive, and layered installations of her work. This exhibition is presented in partnership with the L.V. Hull Legacy Center, a project of the Arts Foundation of Kosciusko in Kosciusko, Mississippi, which will present a parallel exhibition and related programming concurrently with Love Is a Sensation.
Black, female, and self-taught, L.V. Hull represents a long tradition of rural Mississippi artists who work outside the mainstream artworld and who have been historically marginalized, resulting in an incomplete account of American creativity and art history. Love Is a Sensation will contextualize Hull as an important Mississippi artist who was deeply rooted in community, but also a creator engaged in the significant global tradition of placemaking.
Love Is a Sensation will coincide with the Mississippi premiere of a documentary film of the same name by Hull’s friend, Yaphet Smith, who is also a core member of the team developing the L.V. Hull Legacy Center. The film offers an affectionate home movie portrait of Hull that complements the exhibition’s presentation of her work.
L.V. Hull: Love Is a Sensation is presented with support from Teiger Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Feild Co-Operative Association, Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, and Visit Jackson.
About the L.V. Hull Legacy Center
Opening March 2026, the L.V. Hull Legacy Center will be a new visual arts campus in Kosciusko that includes L.V. Hull’s preserved home, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024. Hull’s home is the first home of a Black female visual artist to be included on the Register at the level of National Significance. Visitors to L.V. Hull: Love is a Sensation are encouraged to visit a corresponding exhibition at the Legacy Center that will focus on Hull’s relationship to place, as well as the many people who united to support her during her lifetime and to preserve her legacy following her death in 2008. The Legacy Center provides additional opportunities for visitors to learn more about the full spectrum of Hull’s practice, including her place in the rich cultural history of Kosciusko, which is the birthplace of both civil rights activist James Meredith and cultural icon Oprah Winfrey.
About the Curators
Ryan N. Dennis is Co-Director and Chief Curator at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), where she has led major projects including Theaster Gates’s acclaimed The Gift and The Renege and the community-focused Rebirth in Action with Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy. Formerly Curator at the Mississippi Museum of Art, she organized notable exhibitions such as Leonardo Drew: City in the Garden, Betye Saar: Call & Response, and the nationally celebrated A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration. She also co-curated the 2021 Texas Biennial and previously served as Curator and Programs Director at Project Row Houses in Houston, collaborating with over 100 BIPOC artists and launching innovative residency and public art programs. Dennis holds a master’s degree in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute and is widely published, lecturing and teaching on contemporary art and community-based practices nationwide.
Annalise Flynn is an independent curator and arts administrator based in Sheboygan, Wis. Her current clients include the Kohler Foundation, for whom she manages SPACES Archives–Saving and Preserving Arts and Cultural Environments, the world’s largest repository of archival documentation related to artist-built environments; the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she teaches “Better Homes & Gardens,” a survey dedicated to artist-built environments; and the Arts Foundation of Kosciusko and the Keysmith Foundation, with whom she is working oh the preservation of the artist L.V. Hull’s home and legacy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Art History, Theory, and Criticism.
Yaphet Smith is a screenwriter, lawyer, and documentary filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. He is dedicated to enriching life through story, with an emphasis on stories that reflect Black people’s full humanity. He is currently exploring the power of storytelling through the preservation and activation of the legacy of artist L.V. Hull. To this end, he serves as the liaison with Ms. Hull’s estate, President of the Keysmith Foundation (the steward of her historic home), and Vice President of Curation for the Arts Foundation of Kosciusko, which is developing the L.V. Hull Legacy Center on Hull’s street. Smith is also the director of the forthcoming documentary, Love Is a Sensation, an affectionate one-hour home movie portrait of Hull and her quest to present a cherished work of art to blues legend B.B. King.

2026 Public Humanities Awards
2026-03-20 17:30 - 20:30 | TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, 222 NORTH STREET , JACKSON, MS, United States
Each year, the Mississippi Humanities Council honors scholars, educators, and organizations who have made significant contributions to the public humanities in Mississippi. Join us at the 2026 Public Humanities Awards on Friday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m., at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson, as we recognize this year’s incredible honorees who have made outstanding contributions to promoting and preserving the humanities in our state.
Tickets and Awards Sponsor opportunities may be purchased through the MHC website or by sending a check to the Mississippi Humanities Council, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Room 317, Jackson, MS 39211.

America250 Mississippi - Jim Henson: Idea Man
2026-03-21 10:00 - 12:00 | The MAX, 2118 Front St, Meridian, MS, 39301, United States
Now Showing: Jim Henson: Idea Man

Dive into the mind of a visionary with a special screening of the acclaimed documentary, Jim Henson: Idea Man, in the Alexander Family Church Gallery at 10 am.
RSVP Here

Join us after the film for an interactive workshop with Mississippi artist Jordan West from 1 pm-4 pm. Design and build a puppet straight from your imagination, concluding with a live performance in our new puppet theater.
Limited spots available for workshop. Registration required ($25 per puppet).

A Gathering of Waters: Artist Talk: A Conversation with Addie Citchens & Jerriod Avant
2026-03-24 10:00 - 13:00 | Jackson State University, 1400 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, 39217
Part of the “A Gathering of Waters: The Power of Place & Pen in Mississippi’s Literary Landscape” Program
Artist Talk: A Conversation with Addie Citchens & Jerriod Avant

Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 2026
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Student Center Theatre

Theme: “Something’ About This Place Feels Like Home”
Program Description: The Mississippi Delta wetlands meets the Mississippi Appalachian hills in this Artist Talk with Addie Citchens of Clarksdale, and Jerriod Avant of Longtown. Citchens, author of Dominion, and Avant, author of Muscadine, will discuss how their particular landscapes inform the writing they do through fiction and poetry: in farmland and fisheries and gravel rock roads, in deer season and during church revival they describe. The authors, both graduates of JSU, will interrogate how the language, characters, setting, and style reflect their respective homeplaces.

HTA Lecture: “August Wilson's Fences and On the Ground Island"
2026-03-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Rust College, 150 Rust Ave, Holly Springs, MS, 38635, United States
Alice Berry will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Rust College titled “August Wilson’s Fences and On the Ground Island.”
The lecture will take place on the Rust College campus on March 24, 2026, at 3 p.m.

HTA Lecture: “For Such a Time as This: How Media is Being Challenged and Changed in the 21st Century”
2026-03-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Tougaloo College, 500 W County Line Rd, Tougaloo, MS, 39174, United States
Erin Pickens Wansley will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Tougaloo College titled “For Such a Time as This: How Media is Being Challenged and Changed in the 21st Century.”
“For Such a Time as This: How Media is Being Challenged and Changed in the 21st Century” will take a look at how the shift from traditional media to interactive platforms led to the seismic shift in how people view media today. View, not only in how people watch or read it, but the growth of misinformation and distrust in media.
The lecture will take place on the Tougaloo College campus on March 25, 2026, at 11 a.m.

HTA Lecture: “Parenting Styles”
2026-03-25 12:00 - 15:00 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College, 11 Co Lin Cir, Natchez, MS, 39120-4452, United States
Jackie Mardis, will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Copiah-Lincoln Community College titled “Parenting Styles.”
The lecture will take place on the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus on March 25, 2026, at 12:20 p.m.

A Gathering of Waters: International Poetry & Culture: In Translation
2026-03-26 10:00 - 14:00 | MS
Part of the “A Gathering of Waters: The Power of Place & Pen in Mississippi’s Literary Landscape” Program
International Poetry & Culture: In Translation

Thursday, March 26, 2026,
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Student Center Legacy Dining Hall and Ballroom

Theme: “Mapping Mississippi: In Translation”
Program Description: Translating the poetry of international poets who reside in Mississippi in both English and cultural languages (Spanish, French, Swahili, Bengali, and Mandarin), “Mapping Mississippi” will bridge the various communities – and their artistic customs – of the state. It also locates the endangerment, disparity, and resilience of Chinese, Caribbean, and Latino Mississippi poets who make their homes in the Delta and other regions of the state. Nadia Alexis, of Haitian descent, Jianqing “John” Zheng, of Chinese descent, and C.T. Salazar, who is Latinx use their art to center the various cultures that make up the state, insisting, “I, Too, Sing Mississippi”. . “Mapping Mississippi” is a one-day series of activities including: poetic translation from English to cultural languages, a poetry workshop, and dance demonstrations through Salsa, Swahili African drum and dance, and Bengali dance traditions.

Speakers Bureau: “From the Scraps of My Life in the Mississippi Delta"
2026-03-26 11:00 - 13:00 | Embassy Suites Ridgeland, 200 Township Ave, Ridgeland, 39157, United States
J. Janice Coleman presents “From the Scraps of My Life in the Mississippi Delta”
Everyone loves to hear stories, and everyone loves the feel and the memories quilts and other homemade patchwork bring to mind. This combination of narrative and the nostalgia a patchwork coverlet evokes inspires people to talk about the quilts, dolls, and clothes their elders used to make for them. In her presentation, Dr. Coleman brings evokes these feelings in her audiences by choosing patchwork pieces that are relevant to the occasion and then telling the stories they pass on. Sometimes, Dr. Coleman presents in character. For example, if she is teaching Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path,” she may present in character as the protagonist Phoenix Jackson. In closing, Dr. Coleman always encourages audience members to consider the scraps of their own lives (old quilts and other coverlets, faded tee-shirts and jeans, worn shirts, skirts, and dresses) as materials that they can use to create their own meaningful patchworks. Dr. Coleman believes these recycled or re-purposed items can become priceless when they are recognized as part of the thread that runs through a family history. “With my scraps, I demonstrate the transformation between what they were and the art they have become,” says Dr. Coleman.

HTA Lecture: “Selected Genres of Piano Literature"
2026-03-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Alcorn State University, 1000 ASU Drive, Lorman, MS, 39096
Tony Gordon will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Alcorn State University titled “Selected Genres of Piano Literature.”
The lecture will take place on the Alcorn State University campus on March 26, 2026, at 1 p.m.

HTA Lecture: “From Museum to Music: The Appropriation of Fine Art in Album Covers”
2026-03-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Northwest Mississippi Community College, 4975 Hwy 51 N, Senatobia, 38668
Lucia Nelson will present the 2026 Humanities Teacher Award lecture for Northwest Mississippi Community College titled “From Museum to Music: The Appropriation of Fine Art in Album Covers.”
This presentation will explore the use of appropriated art in album cover design, analyzing how musicians and designers repurpose existing artworks to create new meanings through a Postmodern lens. The examples selected will span a wide range of historical periods and artistic movements – from Classical to Contemporary – and encompass diverse musical genres.
The lecture will take place on the Northwest Mississippi Community College campus on March 27, 2026, at 10 a.m.

America250 Mississippi - Fashioning a Revolution: How Americans Bought, Fought, and Taught Their New Nation
2026-03-31 17:30 - 18:30 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
Fashioning a Revolution: How Americans Bought, Fought, and Taught Their New Nation

March 31, 2026 @ 5:30 PM
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System downtown branch
Free and open to the public. Adults
Dr. Ural will discuss how America’s founding documents inspired Abraham Lincoln’s understanding of freedom, democracy, and citizenship during the American Civil War.
Contact: Mona Vance-Ali, 662-329-5300
www.clplsamerica250.com

America250 Mississippi - Civil War Era Mississippians Debate America’s Founding Principles
2026-04-07 12:00 - 14:00 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
Civil War Era Mississippians Debate America’s Founding Principles

April 7, 2026 @ 12 PM
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System downtown branch
Free and open to the public. Adults
In this presentation, Dr. Ural, the Frank and Virginia Williams Chair for Abraham Lincoln & Civil War Studies at Mississippi State University and Co-Director of CWRGM, will share documents from the collection to help audience members understand how Mississippians remembered and fought over the nation’s founding traditions during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Contact: Mona Vance-Ali, 662-329-5300
www.clplsamerica250.com

Speakers Bureau: “Developing Community Spaces: Storytelling, Stewardship, and the Soul of Place"
2026-04-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Community of Believers Cultural Fellowship, 719 3rd St, McComb, MS, 39648, United States
Kevin Enos 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.

America250 Mississippi - Colonial Brunch/Tea for All Ages!
2026-04-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
Colonial Brunch/Tea for All Ages!

April 11, 2026 @ 10 AM-12 PM
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System downtown branch
Free and open to the public. All ages
Attendees will eat brunch, drink tea, and can bring their own teacups to show off while learning about manners and clothing from the 1700s from living history reenactor Jeanette Watts.
Contact: Mona Vance-Ali, 662-329-5300
www.clplsamerica250.com
