Mississippi Humanities Council

America250 Mississippi - Mississippi Women in Blues: Celebrating America 250
2026-07-19 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | F.D. Hall Music Center – Jackson State University Campus, 1400 John R. Lynch St, Jackson, MS, 39217, United States
This production of Central MS Blues Society, Inc. will bring three blues artists, all Mississippi women who are known to blues lovers worldwide, will share their music and stories of their struggles and successes as African American blues women in America. The music will be accompanied by a Jackson area blues band. Free and open to the public! Parking across the street from F. D. Hall Music Center on the JSU Campus

Speakers Bureau: "All Things Mississippi: The Beautiful Landscapes and the Great Strength of the People"
2026-08-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Anguilla Methodist Church, 631 Front St, Anguilla, MS, 38721, United States
Anne McKee presents “All Things Mississippi: The Beautiful Landscapes and the Great Strength of the People”
Anne McKee is recognized statewide as a passionate teacher of Mississippi history. Through the art of storytelling, Anne McKee uplifts the accomplishments of famous Mississippians and shares explores the history of a land and a people like no other. Native to the state, McKee’s love and support for Mississippi began in childhood as she sat at the knees of relatives to learn the Mississippi story—a story for her that is always new and fresh. She dresses in costumes representing the time period of the stories featured on the day of her programs, and at times, if the audience is willing, involves attendees in her stories.

Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Greenville
2026-08-22 - 2026-10-03 | Greenville Higher Education Center, 2900 US-1 South, Greenville, MS, 38701
Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Greenville

Join MHC in Greenville for the Spark! Places of Innovation tour of Mississippi!
August 22-October 3, 2026
Greenville Higher Education Center at Mississippi Delta Community College Greenville Campus
662-332-8500 | msdelta.edu/ghec/
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.

America250 Mississippi - America250 Lunch Lecture Series - How We Pickled Our Food: 1850 - 1920
2026-09-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, 1150 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS, 39216, United States
This is the last of the series of luncheon lectures coming to the MS Ag & Forestry Museum. The highlight of this lecture will be How We Pickled Our Food: 1850 – 1920. In the Heritage Center Auditorium, September 11th from Noon – 1PM.

Join Research Historian Casey Heilman, for an opportunity to sample some of the popular flavors of the past. For over 7 years she served as the Living History Coordinator for a small 1847 first person historical site in Findlay, Ohio. She has given presentations for ALFAM, MCWCC, and other institutions.

This official America250 project was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the State of Mississippi.

Speakers Bureau: “Ain’t That America? History and Culture in the Country"
2026-09-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Anguilla Methodist Church, 631 Front St, Anguilla, MS, 38721, United States
James “Jim” Giesen presents “Ain’t That America? History and Culture in the Country”
Since 1920 the number of farmers in America has been dropping, yet the place of farming — and of rural life generally — in the American mind is stronger than ever. The images we encounter in country songs, labels at the grocery store and in country-fried restaurants tell us that to live the rural life is to live the most American of lives: to work honestly, for long hours and for mostly internal rewards. Our culture presents farmers as nothing short of heroes. But this was not always the case. This talk charts the rise, fall and rise again of the American farmer and rural life in the American consciousness with images from music videos, snippets of song lyrics, Cracker Barrel billboards and even some Congressional testimony. It seeks to answer the questions, why does this particular image of the farmer hold such sway, and what do the changes in that image over time tell us about Americans’ insecure relationship with its history?

America250 Mississippi - The Town Creek Celebration & Archaeology Exposition Festival
2026-10-03 | Dorothy J. Lowe Memorial Library / Nettleton, 165 Young Avenue, Nettleton, MS, 38858, United States
The Town Creek Celebration & Archaeology Exposition is a one-day, multi-generational cultural heritage event hosted in Nettleton, Mississippi. Designed to honor the region’s Indigenous, civic, and civil rights history, the event will take place at Lowe Library and surrounding venues. Through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, oral history recordings, and educational panels, the project will foster community pride, historical awareness, and inclusive learning.
Activities will include Indigenous dance and music performances, flint knapping demonstrations, genealogy workshops, and civil rights panels featuring renowned historians and advocates. Attendees will also contribute to a large-scale place-name mapping exhibit, highlighting the Chickasaw and Choctaw linguistic heritage embedded in Mississippi’s geography. All oral histories and genealogy resources will be archived at Lowe Library, ensuring long-term educational access and cultural preservation.
The event is expected to engage over 500 participants, including youth, elders, educators, tribal members, and civic leaders. Its inclusive design ensures that every attendee, regardless of age, background, or experience, can participate meaningfully in the celebration and contribute to the preservation of local history.

The Town Creek Celebration & Archaeology Exposition is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, as a full-day public event hosted at Lowe Library and surrounding venues in Nettleton, Mississippi. Programming will begin at 9:00 AM and continue until 8:30 PM, culminating in a patriotic fireworks finale.
Planned Activities Include:

9:00 AM – Opening Ceremony: Welcome remarks and overview of the day’s events
9:30 AM – Indigenous Place-Name Mapping Exhibit Opens: Interactive map of Mississippi with magnetic markers for Chickasaw and Choctaw town names
10:00 AM – Oral History Recording Station Opens: Video interviews with older citizens begin; historic audio archive available for listening
10:30 AM – Flint Knapping Demonstration & Artifact Showcase: Live tool-making demo and relic identification station
11:30 AM – Chickasaw Dance & Music Performance: Traditional regalia and live music presentation
1:00 PM – Indigenous-Inspired Art Workshops Begin: Hands-on sessions led by certified art educators
2:30 PM – Genealogy Panel & Family Tree Distribution: Expert guidance and free four-generation family tree charts
4:00 PM – Civil Rights & Historical Perspectives Panel: Featuring Kenneth Mayfield, Al Arnold, Mitch Caver, and Brad Deramus
6:00 PM – Natchez Trace Interpretation: Presentation by National Park Service ranger
7:30 PM – Patriotic Finale: Live performance of The Star-Spangled Banner followed by a choreographed fireworks display

Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Oxford
2026-10-10 - 2026-11-21 | Oxford Lafayette Library, 401 Bramlett Blvd , Oxford, MS, 38655, United States
Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Oxford

Join MHC in Oxford for the Spark! Places of Innovation tour of Mississippi!
October 10-November 21, 2026
Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library
662-234-5751 | lafayettems.com/places/lafayette-county-oxford-public-library/
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.

Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Hattiesburg
2026-11-28 - 2027-01-09 | Eureka School, 412 East 6th Street, Hattiesburg, MS, 39401, United States
Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Hattiesburg

Join MHC in Hattiesburg for the Spark! Places of Innovation tour of Mississippi!
November 28, 2026-January 9,2027
The Historic Eureka School with the 6th Street Museum District
601-268-3220 | hattiesburgeureka.com
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.

Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Gulfport
2027-01-16 - 2027-02-27 | Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Avenue, Gulfport, MS, 39507, United States
Spark! Places of Innovation exhibit in Gulfport

Join MHC in Gulfport for the Spark! Places of Innovation tour of Mississippi!
January 16, 2027-February 27, 2027
Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
228-897-6039 | lmdc.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.
